Shine bright like a star
by isnt-that-wizard
Summary: The Doctor and his daughter, Star, have rebooted the universe. But now Silence must fall, but who for? And just who is River Song to the Time Lords? Third in the Starlight saga
1. The impossible astronaut

**Hello! This is the third story of the Starlight Saga. Featuring my oc, Star, the Doctors daughter.**

**Star is currently on her 4th regeneration, a tall girl with blonde hair tied in a French braid down her back, grey eyes. She typically wears a lilac bat wing-sleeved top, light blue bell bottom jeans and white lace footless sandals. She also has a dagger hiding in her sleeve. I picture her to look similar to Chloe Grace Moretz. And at the end of Among the stars was 417.**

**"Italics" Gallifreyan**

**_'Italics'_ Mental communication.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor. Unfortunately. **

The doors burst open as a man in restoration dress strode through the door, pushing a servant to the side, "out of my way!" he reached another set of door and pushed it only to find it locked, "Doctor! Doctor!" he managed to shove the door open, sword drown. Two other behind him. "Where's the Doctor?!" he demanded, looking at a pile of clothing on a stool and a painting of the Doctor in a god-like pose. Holding a trident in his right hand, a red swat of cloth protecting his modesty as he stood in the clouds.

The woman laughed nervously, "Doctor who?"

There was a muffled sneeze and the man lifted the hem of the woman's dress with the tip of his sword to reveal a naked Doctor peeking out. "You know, this isn't nearly as bad as it looks."

"Is it not?" Star crossed her arms and glared down at him as he flinched at the sight.

~.~

A man in a white tank top and green pants crawled through a tunnel before he looked up at a hole, "Star?" he whispered up, "What can you see?"

Star popped her head down through the hole, wearing her own white tank top, "I assume the commandants office is painted green with a big flag on the wall?" she grinned as alarmed blared, "Brilliant!" she pulled back up as there was dog barking. Oh, daddy was going to kill her…if he found out. She poked her head back down, "I'd get up here if I were you. Our ride's here." She winced realising that meant the Doctor knew exactly what she was doing.

The man scrambled out of the hole as there was a familiar wheezing noise. "Cab for Lady Star?" the Doctor peered out of the door.

Star grinned and ran in, the man following. They quickly dropped him off, who stared at the room in awe.

And then the Doctor started his ranting about how that was dangerous and idiotic and how she could have been killed. She rolled her eyes, not paying any attention to his rants, just letting him talk.

~.~

The Doctor grinned as he snuck onto the set of Laurel and Hardly's 'Sons of the Desert', even more happy to be in a fez again! He waved at the camera before joining Laurel and Hardly in a small dance. They had taken it in turn to draw Amy and Rory's attention and Star had told him that Rory was a fan of Laurel and Hardly so what better way to grab his attention?

He grabbed hold of his fez as he ran off stage as the actors and directors realised he wasn't meant to be there and he ran right into the TARDIS to see Star at the console waiting for him and she pulled a lever getting them into the vortex, "Where now?" he asked.

She held up a blue envelope and look at him, "Someone wants to see us."

He frowned and took the envelope, inside was a card with a date, time and map reference, "What do you think?" he asked her knowing how bad her trust issue could be at times.

She shrugged, "Got nothing better to do?" the thing that got her confused was that the envelope was number. Number 1 they were, so who else had been called?

He beamed, dropping a kiss on her forehead and typed in the coordinates.

~.~

Star ran out of the back door of a dinner in Utah at the coordinates the envelope had said to go, the Doctor right behind her, "Give me back my straw!" he yelled after her. They stopped short as they spotted the Ponds and River Song. The Doctor smiled and pointed at them.

"This is cold." River glared at them, "Even by your standards, this is cold."

"Or 'Hello' as people used to say."

"Doctor?" Amy breathed.

"I just popped out to get my special straw," he grabbed his straw back from Star, "it adds more fizz."

"You know full well that that's my straw." Star grabbed it back, "Get your own." He stuck his tongue out at her.

Amy walked up to them, staring like they couldn't be there, "You're ok. You're both ok. How can you be ok?"

"We're always ok." Star frowned at her. The way she was acting, it wasn't normal. Something was wrong.

"Im the king of ok." The Doctor added, hugging Amy, as Star walked over Rory seeing him looking stunned and confused,

"Are you ok?" Star whispered to him.

"I think…" he blinked at her.

"And Stars the prin…eh, queen of Ok." He corrected knowing that Star hated it when he called her a princess, always preferring to be a queen. "Oh, there rubbish titles forget those titles." He released her, "Rory the Roman, that's a good title. Hello, Rory!" he hugged him before turning to River, "And Dr River Song…oh you bad, bad girl, what trouble have you got for us this time?"

River slapped him. Hard.

"Ok," he rubbed his cheek, "im assuming that's for something I haven't done yet."

"Yes, it is."

"Good, looking forward to it."

"Can you slap him again," Star smirked at River, "Just too even out the redness on his cheek."

River nodded as slapped his other cheek.

I don't understand," Rory shook his head, "How can you be here?" he poked the Doctor chest and then poked Star arm.

"We were invited," Star stated, "Date, map reference. Same as you lot, I presume."

"Otherwise it's a hell of a coincidence," The Doctor added.

"River, what's going on?" Amy looked back at the woman.

"Amy ask him how old he is," River told her.

"That's a bit personal," the Doctor remarked.

"Tell her. Tell her what age you are."

"909."

"And you Star," She looked over at the blonde.

"419."

"Yeah, but you said..." Amy trailed, looking more at the Doctor.

"So where does that leave you?" River cut in, growing upset, "Jim the fish? Have we done Jim the fish yet?"

"We haven't done Jim the fish," Star shook her head.

"I don't understand." Amy shook her head.

"Yeah, you do." Rory nodded.

"We don't!" the Doctor frowned, "What are we all doing here?"

River looked at Rory and Amy hesitantly before answering, "We've been recruited," she informed them, "Something to do with space, 1969, and a man called Canton Everett Delaware 3rd"

They walked over to them, "Recruited by who?" Star eyed them carefully.

"Someone who trusts you more than anybody else in the universe."

"And whose that?" the Doctor turned to them.

"Spoilers."

Star bit HER straw in her mouth in a sulk; she didn't like it when she didn't know something. She didn't like surprises at all.

~.~

The Doctor and Star made their way around the console in perfect sync with each other. River and Amy stood by the railing as Rory stood close by them.

"1969, that's an easy one," the Doctor remarked, "Funny how some years are easy."

"1482, now that year full of glitches," Star smirked, "And it wasn't me!" she mock-glared at the Doctor who held his hands up in defence.

"Now then, Canton Everett Delaware 3rd, that was his name, yeah?" Amy headed under the console, "How many of those can there be? Well, 3, I suppose." River followed Amy.

"Rory," Star turn to him watching Amy and River leave, "Is everyone mad at us?"

"I'll find out." he headed down to follow the girls.

"Explain it again," Amy whispered to River as Rory walked down.  
"The Doctor we saw on the beach was a future version, 200 years older than the one up there." River told her.  
"But all that'll still happen? He'll still die?"  
"We're all going to do that, Amy."  
"We're not all going to arrange our own wake and invite ourselves." Rory countered, "So the Doctor in the future, knowing he's going to die, recruits his younger self and all of us to...to what exactly? Avenge him? And why wouldn't he invite Star?"  
"Mm-mm, avenging's not his style."  
"Save him." Amy suggested.  
"That's not his style either." Rory shook his head.  
"We have to tell him." Amy stood up  
"We've told him all we can." River remarked, "We can't even tell him we've seen his future self. He's interacted with his own past. It could rip a hole in the universe."  
"Except he's done it before."  
"And, in fairness, the universe did blow up." Rory reminded her.  
"But he'd want to know." Amy argued.  
"No one should know when they're going to die." Star remarked, and they looked over to see her sitting on the stairs, "Honestly, you should be more careful, especially you River." She had heard everything.

At that moment the Doctor popped his head down to hang over the top floor, "I'm being extremely clever up here and there's no one to stand around looking impressed. Everything I can do Star can also do, more or less. What's the point of having you all?" he pulled back up.

"Couldn't you just slap him sometimes?" River remarked.

"River, we can't just let him die." Amy hissed to her as Star and walked Rory walked up the stairs, "We have to stop it. How can you be OK with this?"  
"The Doctor's death doesn't frighten me, nor does Stars, nor does my own." River replied, "There's a far worse day coming for me."

"Time isn't a straight line," the Doctor began as the small group came back up. "It's all bumpy wumpy?"

"Bumpy wumpy?" Star raised her eyebrows.

He just shrugged at her and continued, "There's loads of boring stuff, like Sundays and Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons. But now and then there are Saturdays; big temporal tipping point when anything's possible. The TARDIS can resist them, she loves a party so we give her 1969 and NASA, cos that's space in the 60's and Canton Everett Delaware 3rd, and this is where she's pointing," he spun the scanner around to reveal the date.

"Washington DC," Amy read, "April 8th, 1969. So why haven't we landed?"

"Because that's not where we're going," Star told them.

"Where are we going?" Rory asked.

"Home!" the Doctor exclaimed, "Well, you two are. Off you pop and make babies. Dr Song, back to prison. Us, we're late for a biplane lesson in 1911, or knitting. Knitting or biplanes one or the other."

Star flopped down on the chair, rubbing her temples and the Doctor stood behind her as the others approached, "What? A mysterious summons?" the Doctor looked at them, "you think we're just going to go?"

"Who sent those messages?" Star demanded, "Don't play games with me," Star glared at them, "Don't EVER think you're capable of that!"

"You're going to have to trust us this time." River said.

"Trust you?" Star scoffed, walking up to her.

"But first of all," the Doctor followed, "Dr Song, just one thing…who are you?"

"You're someone from our future, but who? Why are you in prison? Who did you kill?"

"I love a bad girl. But trust you? Seriously?"

"Trust me." Amy spoke up, seeing River looking heartbroken that they don't trust her.

"Ok" the Doctor faced her.

"You have to do this, and you can't ask why."

"You're being threatened, aren't you?" Star eyed them, "is someone making you say that?"

"No."

"You're lying."

"Im not lying."

"Swear to us." The Doctor looked at her, "Swear to us on something that matters."

"Fish fingers and custard."

The Doctor nodded, excepting that, "Our lifes are in your hand, Amelia Pond."

"Thank you." River whispered to Amy.

'_Is this something to do with his death?'_ Star asked Amy telepathically. Amy gave a small, unsure nod and Star sighed.

"So!" the Doctor clapped his hands, "Canton Everett Delaware 3rd! Who's he?"

"Ex-FBI," River called as she read the information on the scanner, "Got kicked out."

"Why?" Star asked.

"6 weeks after he left the Bureau, the President contacted him for a private meeting."

"Yeah, 1969, who's president?" the Doctor inquired.

"Richard Milhous Nixon. Vietnam, Watergate… there's some good stuff too."

"Not enough." Star remarked.

"Hippie!" she laughed.

"Archaeologist!" she shot back.

"Ok, since we don't know what we're getting into, we're being discreet, putting the engines of silent," the Doctor flipped a switch and walked away as a loud screeching noise filled the room.

Star looked at River who was closer to the correct switch, with a nod River flipped it and the noise stopped.

"Did you do something?" the Doctor looked at her.

"No," she shook her head, innocently, "just…watching."

He eyed her of a second, "Putting the out shell on invisible. Haven't done this in a while, big drain on the power." He headed over to Stars side

"You can turn the TARDIS invisible?" Rory blinked.

Grinning, the Doctor switched a lever and spotlight turned on.

"So close." Star muttered, pushing a lever.

"Did you touch something?" the Doctor looked at her.

She let out an outraged noise, "Of course not, im just…admiring your work, old man."

"Good!" he nodded, "Take notes, they'll be a test later." Star just looking at River with a disbelieving look, "ok," the Doctor banged the scanner, "Now, I can't check the scanner, it doesn't work when we're cloaked. Um, just give me a mo." He paused as everyone followed, "Whoa, you lot, wait a moment. We're in the middle of the most powerful city in the most powerful country on Earth. Let's take it slow."

'_Keep an eye on them.'_ He told Star silently, who nodded and he exited.

The four of them pressed their ears to the door, listening.

There was something about message of a child asking for help…a spaceman.

The TARDIS rocked, which they could only assume to be the Doctor walking into it.

"Every time!" River sighed.

"Typical," Star tutted, swinging the scanner over.

"He said the scanner wouldn't work." Rory pointed out. She just gave him a look, "Oh."

The scanners wires sparked.

Star smirked as she got the scanner working and watched as the Doctor was on the floor, his face pressed to the carpet, "Not that! Ow!" they heard him cry. "Star, have you got that scanner working yet?"

"I'm going to kill him!" Star yelled.

"No, you won't." The Doctor argued.

"Get the President out of here!" a man, they could assume to be Canton order, "sir, you have to go with them now!"

"Make her blue again!" the Doctor strained.

Star and River switched a few switched each and pulled some levers, turning the cloaking device off. They watched as they saw the men stare open-mouthed as the TARDIS appeared before them

"What the hell is that?" Nixon breathed.

River smirked as they saw the Doctor slip out of the men's' hold and made himself comfortable at the desk.

"Mr President!" he called causing the men to turn and aim their guns at him, "That child just told you everything you need to know, but you weren't listening. Never mind, the answers yes. I'll take the case! Fellas, the guns, really? I just walked into the highest security office in the United States, parked a big blue box on the rug. You think you can just shoot me?"

"They're Americans!" River called as she exited the TARDIS.

"I'd like to see them try to shoot me!" Star smirked as she, Amy and Rory followed her.

The Doctor leapt to his feet, "Don't shoot, definitely no shooting!"

"Don't shoot us either," Rory put his hands up, Amy doing the same, "Very much not in need of getting shot. Look, we've got our hands up."

"Who the hell are you?" Nixon demanded.

"Sir, you need to stay back." Canton ordered.

"But who…but who are they? What is that box?"

"It's a police box," the Doctor explained to him, "Can't you read? Im your new undercover agent, on loan from Scotland Yard. Code name, the Doctor. These are my top operatives, the Legs, the Nose and Mrs Robinson."

"I hate you." River grumbled.

"No, you don't!"

"What about the kid?" Canton nodded to Star.

She blinked, "I am the…Flirt. Or just Star. Take your pick." She smiled innocently at him.

"Who are you?" Nixon repeated.

"Boring question," the Doctor waved him off, "Who's phoning you, that's interesting. 'Cause Canton 3 is right, that was definitely a girl's voice. There's only one place in America she can be phoning from."

"Where?" Canton looked at him.

"Do not engage with the intruder, Mr Delaware." One of the agents called.

"You heard everything I heard, its simple enough." The Doctor shrugged, "give us 5 minutes, I'll explain," he sat back down at the desk. "On the other hand, lay a finger on me, my daughter," he nodded at Star, "or our friends and you'll never, ever know."

"And you won't survive." Star narrowed her eyes at them all.

"How'd you get it in here?" Canton eyed the TARDIS, "I mean, you didn't carry it."

"Clever, isn't it?"

"Love it."

"Do not compliment the intruders." The agent told him.

"Oh, please, compliment away," Star smiled.

"5 minutes?" Canton looked at the Doctor.

"5." He agreed.

"Mr President," the agent turned to him, "that man is a clear and present danger."

"Mr President," Canton called, "that man walked in here with a big blue box, he, daughter and three of their friends and that's the man he walked past. One of them's worth listening too. What say we give him 5 minutes, see if he delivers?"

"Thanks, Canton!" the Doctor beamed.

"If he doesn't, I'll shoot him myself."

"I'd like to see you try." Star threatened.

"Sir, I cannot recommend…" the agent trailed.

"Shut up, Mr Peterson." Nixon snapped at him, "All right."  
"5 minutes." Canton looked at the Doctor.

The Doctor nodded "im going to need a SWAT team ready to mobilise, street lever maps covering all of Florida, a pot of coffee, 12 jammy dodgers and a fez."

"Get him his maps."

"Do not give him a fez." Star told Canton who nodded.

~.~

Canton watched as the Doctor and Star looked at the maps they had been given as they were spread out all over Nixon's desk. they were all looking at one, the Doctor and Star were leaning over Nixon's shoulder as the man sat at his desk, River stood a few feet away looking at her own as Amy and Rory sat on a small sofa, each looking at their own.

"Why Florida?" Canton asked.

"That's were NASA is," the Doctor said without looking up, "She mentioned a space man. NASA's where the space men live. Also…there's another lead im following.

Star looked up to see Amy whispered to River, mostly likely something about the Doctors future death; she looked back down at the map.

"Amy, what's wrong?" Rory asked her.

"Amy?" River frowned.

Star looked back up to see Amy holding a hand to her stomach.

"You all right?" the Doctor called.

"Yeah," she nodded, "no, im fine. Im just…feeling a little sick," she headed to the door and spoke to the guard there, "Excuse me, is there a toilet or something?"

"Sorry ma'am," the guard from earlier said, "During this procedure, you must remain within the Oval Office."

"Shut up and taker her to the rest room." Canton told the guard.

"This way, ma'am." Another guard led her off.

"Thanks." Amy muttered.

Rory tried to follow his wife but Peterson kept him back, allowing only Amy out.

"Your 5 minutes are up." Canton remarked.

"Yeah," the Doctor scoffed, "and where's my fez?"

They looked up as the phone on the desk ran.

"The kid?" Canton questioned.

"Should I answer it?" Nixon wondered.

"Here!" Star pointed to the map, "The only place in America that call could be coming from."

"Obvious when you think about it." the Doctor agreed. "Brilliant!" he kissed Star forehead as River looked over, smiling softly at the pair of them as Amy and the guard returned.

"You, ma'am, are a genius." Canton peered down at where she was pointing.

"I know!" she grinned, very smug.

"You're ego is the size as your dads." River commented.

"Oi!" The Doctor cried.

"Mr President," Canton turned to him, "Answer the phone."

"Hello," Nixon called into the phone, "This is President Nixon."

"Its here!" the child exclaimed, "The space mans here. Its gonna get me. Its gonna eat me."

The Doctor grabbed his jacket as he and Star headed to the TARDIS. Amy, Rory and River already inside. "There's no time for a SWAT team, let's go! Mr President, tell her helps in the way. Canton, on no account follow us into this box and close the door behind you." the Doctor and Star entered the TARDIS.

"What the hell are you doing?" Canton demanded, following them, closing the door begin him and gaping at the inside of the box as they dematerialised.

The Doctor, Star and River ran around the console, piloting while Rory stood by Canton and Amy by the railing.

"Jefferson isn't a girls name," The Doctor commented, "or her name either. Jefferson Adams Hamilton...River?"

"Surnames of three of Americas founding fathers." She answered

"Lovely fellas."

"Two of them fancied me." Star smiled.

"Right, yeah." the Doctor frowned, "Not so lovely fellas." she was too young to have men fancying her, not matter what she said!

"I can handle men flirting with me," Star reassured him.

"But there not allowed to flirt with you!" he pouted, "You're just a little girl!"

"I'm not so little any more."

River rolled her eyes at them, "Do we really have time for you two to argue if she's a little girl or not?"

"I'm not though." She huffed.

"Acting like that, you are."

"you are not my mother," Star crossed her arms.

Canton turned around, mouth-opened, to be greeted by Rory, "Are you ok? Coping?"

"The President asked the child two questions," The Doctor continued, "Where as who are you? See was answering where."

"It's bigger in the inside," Canton breathed.

"You get use to it," Rory waved him off."

"Now where would you find three big historical names in a row like that?" the Doctor asked them.

"Where?" Amy asked.

"Here! Come on!"

The Doctor ran to the door with Star, Amy and River following.

"Can you take care of this?" Star asked Rory, as they stepped out into a dirty and cluttered warehouse.

The Doctor wandered over to a desk and waved a small American flag.

"Where are we?" Amy looked around.

"About 5 miles from Cape Kennedy Space Centre," the Doctor told her, "its 1969, the year of the moon. Interesting don't you think?"

"Why would a girl be here?" Amy frowned.

"Maybe she's lost." Star suggested as she picked up the phone and eyed it.

"The president asked where she was," the Doctor explained, "and she did what any lost little girl would do. She looked out the window," he peered through the blinds, outside where there was a street sign: Jefferson, Hamilton and Adams.

"Streets." Amy realised, "of course, street names!"

"The only place in Florida, probably all of America, with those three street names on the same junction, and, Star, you've got that face on again."

"What face?" she blinked at him.

"The 'He's amazing when he's clever' face."

"This is my normal face."

"So it is."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Well you have you're 'She's amazing when she talks face on.'"

"This is my normal face."

She smirked at him.

"We've moved." Canton gasped, "How, how can we have moved?"

"You haven't even got to space travel yet?" The Doctor looked over.

"I was going to cover it with time travel." Rory remarked, closing the door behind him.

"Time travel?" Canton blinked.

"Brave heart, Canton." The Doctor patted his back, "Come on!" he headed off to explore.

"So we're in a box, that's bigger on the inside and travels through time and space?"

"Basically." Rory nodded.

"How long have Scotland Yard had this?" he asked as they followed the others.

"It's a warehouse of some kind." River commented, "Disused."

"You realise this is almost certainly a trap, of course." Star said.

"I noticed the phone, yes."

"What about it?" Amy frowned.

"It was cut off. So how did the child phone from here?"

"Ok. But why would anyone want to trap us?"

"Don't know." The Doctor admitted, "Lets see if anyone tries to kill us, and work backwards."

"Now why would a little girl be here?" River wondered.

"I don't know lets find her and ask her."

They spotted an operating table with organic components attached.

"It's not-terrestrial." River scanned it, "definitely alien, probably not even from this time zone."

"Which is odd, because…look at this!" the Doctor rummaged through boxes of NASA spacesuits.

"It's Earth tech, contemporary."

"Very contemporary." Star agreed, "Cutting edge."

"This is from the space program!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Stolen?" Amy eyed it, "What, by aliens?"

"Apparently." The Doctor put a helmet on.

"Why? If you can make it to Earth, why steal technology that can barely make it to the moon?"

"Maybe cos it's cooler," came the Doctors muffled reply, "Look how cool this stuff is!"

"Cool aliens?"

"Well, what would you call us?"

"Aliens." She stated.

"Oi!" he cried.

"Alright, so Stars cool but you. No."

Star stuck her tongue out at the Doctor who just pouted as he removed the helmet.

"I, er, I thinks he's ok now." Rory said as he and Canton walked over.

"Ah, back with us, Canton?" the Doctor walked over to him.

"Like your wheels." He remarked.

"That's my boy! So come on, little girl, lets find her." He and Star wondered off, looking through some more boxes.

"Doctor!" River called, "Star! Look at this!" they walked over to see that's she found a manhole.

"Where does that go?" Star wondered.

River scanned it, "There's a network of tunnels running under here."

"Life signs?"

"No, nothing that's showing up."

"Those are the worst kind." the Doctor sighed, "Be careful."

"Careful?" she scoffed, entering the manhole, "tried that once, ever so dull."

"Oh, I know." Star nodded her agreement.

"Shout if you get in trouble." The Doctor told her.

"Don't worry im quite the screamer." She teased and laughed at their faces, "Now there's a spoiler for you!" she climbed down.

Star grimaced, "I did not need to know that."

"So what's going on here?" Canton walked over.

"Nothing!" he spun around, "She's just a friend!"

"I think he's talking abut the possible alien incursion." Rory leaned over as Star giggled.

The Doctor flushed at that, "ok." He clapped Rory and Cantons shoulders.

"So…" Canton began, examining some of the equipment, "I was in a bar having a drink. Tell me honestly, am I still there?"

"'Fraid not." Amy replied.

"All clear." River called as she came back up out of the hole, "Just tunnels, nothing down there I can see. Er, give me 5 minutes; I want to take another look round."

"Stupidly dangerous." The Doctor commented.

"Yep, I like it too. Star look after him." Star mock-saluted as River climbed back down.

"Rory," Star turned to him, "Would you mind going with her?"

"Yeah, a bit." He admitted.

"Please."

"We'd appreciate it all the more." The Doctor added, patting his back.

Rory sighed, "Hang on, River, im coming too."

~.~

"So, you were kicked out of the FBI because you had attitude problems." Amy approached Canton as he looked at the wires.

"No, I just wanted to get married." He shook his head.

"Is that a crime?"

"Yes." he pointed at the Doctor, who had his head in a large crate, "Doctor who, exactly?"

"That's classified." Star called as she wandered over.

"Classified by who?"

"You don't want to know."

"Star what, then?"

She smirked and winked at him.

"But you work for him." Canton turned back to Amy.

"Hes my friend." Amy said as Star wandered back to the Doctor, "if 'friend' is the right word. I haven't seen them in a while. I had something I wanted to tell him, but stuff always gets in the way."

"Stuff does that."

Star looked up hearing a girl shout, "Help me!" Canton pulled out his gun, "Help! Help me!"

"It's her!" Canton gasped.

Amy tried to follow Canton but double over, gasping in pain. The Time Lords ran to her.

"Amy?" the Doctor called, "what's wrong?"

"I need to tell you something?" she gasped.

"Doctor!" Canton shouted.

"It's important. It's really, really important."

"Star! Quickly!"

"Is now really a good time?" Star stared at her.

They helped Amy to another part of the warehouse to see Canton unconscious on the floor. They ran over to him.

"Canton!" Star knelt besides him, "Canton are you ok?"

"Is he alright?" Amy asked.

"Just unconscious. Got hit pretty hard."

"I need to tell you something. I have to tell you it now!"

"Not a great moment, Amy." The Doctor muttered.

"No, it's important, it has to be now!"

"Help!" the girl cried, "Help me! Help me!"

"Doctor, Star…" Amy swallowed, "I'm pregnant."

The Time Lords stared at her as they saw an astronaut suit approaching them.

"That's it." Amy gaped. "The astronaut!"

The astronaut raised it hand and Amy grabbed Cantons gun, she doesn't see it lift its visor to reveal to be the girl. "Help me!"

"Get down!" Amy yelled.

"What are you doing?" the Doctor cried.

"Saving your life!"

"No!" Star screamed as Amy fired.


	2. Day of the moon

The Doctor ran to help Canton up as Amy stared at Star as the girls eyes were bright crimson as she stared at the bullets that were about to hit the girl in the spacesuit. As soon as Amy fired Star had used her mind and flung the bullets to the wall.

"Amy!" The Doctor shouted, "Amy!" They ran back or the main room as River and Rory climbed out of the tunnel, they all rushed back to the TARDIS.

"What the hells going in?" Canton demanded, moving away from the Doctor.

"Look behind you," Star nodded over the mans shoulder.

"There's nothing behind me!"

"Look! Canton look!" the Doctor insisted.

He looked over his shoulder to see an alien with a long face and long fingers, no mouth walking towards him, electricity crackling around it...

~.~

3 months later...

Canton and another man in a suit walked past the 'Do not approach the prisoners' signs and towards a black platform. The Doctor sat on a chair in the middle. Star sat on a chair next to him. Their hair was longer and dirtier and the Doctor had grown a beard. Both had a straightjacket on and had been chained to their chairs. A yellow circle was painted on the floor around then. The Doctor had his head bowed looking at the floor as Star stared straight ahead off her, not looking at anything, just...staring and blinking every so often, but not often enough.

"All visitors to remain behind the yellow line," A voice called over the loudspeaker, "All visitors to remain behind the yellow line."

"We found Amy Pond," Canton spoke to them, "She had strange markings on her arm." He threw some photos at them, "Do you know what they are?"

"Why don't you ask her?" the Doctor looked up at him.

Canton didn't answered and the Doctor realised what happened.

~.~

"We found Dr Song," Canton informed them, again Star was staring blankly ahead.

"These bricks," The Doctor watched the builders build around them. "What are they made of? Where is she?"

"She ran, off the 50th floor."

"I'd say zero balanced dwarf star alloy. The densest material in the universe. Nothing gets through that. You're building us the perfect prison," he turned to Canton, "And it still won't be enough."

~.~

Canton walked back into the cell, behind him two soldiers dragged in two body bags. The prison is completely built now.

"Is there a reason you're doing this?" the Doctor asked.

"I want you to know where you stand." Canton commented.

"In a cell."

"In the perfect cell," The soldiers left them alone, "Nothing can penetrate these walls. Not a sound, not a radio wave," he inserted his finger into the holes on the wall and the door slid shut, "Not the tiniest particle of anything. In here, you are literally cut off form the rest of the universe. So I guess they can't hear us, right?" he turned back and smirked at them.

"Good work, Canton," The Doctor nodded, "Door sealed?"

"You bet."

He stood up and shook of his chains and removed the straight jacket as inside the body bags Amy and Rory sat up.

"You ok?" the Doctor called to them.

"Finally," Amy gasped for breath.

"These things. These really do with air holes." Rory added.

"Never had a complaint before." Canton smirked.

"Star?" the Doctor knelt in front of as she continued you staring_, "Nova."_

She blinked as through just noticing him. And blasted her chains and jacket off standing up, "Sorry." she grinned sheepishly, "Got carried away."

"Isn't it going to look odd that you're staying in here with us?" Amy questioned.

"Odd," Canton nodded, "But not alarming. They know there's no way out of this place."

The Doctor snapped his suspenders as he leaned against the invisible TARDIS, with a snap of his fingers the doors opened, "Shall we?"

"We shall." Star laughed entering the box.

"What about Dr Song?" Canton asked as he, Amy and Rory entered behind them, "She dove off a rooftop!"

"Yeah, she does that." Star waved him off as the Doctor came to help her pilot.

"Amy, Rory, open all the doors to the swimming pool." The Doctor ordered them as they ran off.

Moments later there was a splash as River dove into the pool.

~.~

The Doctor and Star moved around the console. The Doctor now in his jacket but still with the beard and Star's hair back in her braid, as soon as River was in she ran straight to freshen up. "So what do we know?"

"They're everywhere." Star stated, "Not just a landing party, an occupying force."

"And they've been here a very, very long time. But nobody knows that…"

"Cos no one can remember them."

River walked over drying her hair, now dressed in a green-grey sleeveless dress, boots and leggings.

"So what are they up to?" Canton wondered.

"No idea," the Doctor sighed, "But the good news is…we've got a secret weapon." They out the doors to a launch site and looked up at Apollo 11.

"Apollo 11's your secret weapon?" River frowned.

"No, no, it's not Apollo 11, that would be silly. It's Neil Armstrong's foot."

"Yes, cos that's not silly at all." Star remarked, sarcastically.

The Doctor just smiled and dashed into the TARDIS.

He popped out a moment later, "Was that sarcasm?"

"No," she shook her head, equally sarcastic, "Of course not." he eyed her a moment before returning to the TARDIS.

The group chuckled as Star followed him in, leaving them a good view of Apollo 11.

"You mister," Star pointed at him, "Need to trim that beard."

"Well, why can't I keep it?" he pouted, "I've always wanted a beard."

"Go and trim it." she ordered.

He sulked off to go freshen up and trim the beard as Star waited for the others to join them after they admired the view.

~.~

"Ow!" Canton cried as the Doctor injected something into his hand.

"So," the Doctor began, now without his beard, "three months, what have we found out?"

"Well, they are everywhere." Rory answered, "Every state in America," the Doctor injected his hand, "Ow!"

"Not just America, the entire world." Star corrected, as she brought the scan on the scanner.

"There's a greater concentration here though," River pointed out.

"Ow!" Amy glared at the Doctor as he injected her hand.

"Are you okay?" he whispered to her.

"All better."

"Better?"

"Turns out I was wrong. I'm not pregnant."

"What's up?" Rory walked over.

"Nothing," Amy waved him off, "really, nothing, seriously."

The Doctor wondered over to the scanner.

"So you've seen them, but you don't remember them?" Canton tried to follow.

"You've seen them too, that night at the warehouse," River looked at him, "Remember? While you were pretending to hunt us down we saw hundreds of those things. We still don't know what they look like."

The Doctor injected Rivers hand, "Ow!" She glared at him.

"It's like they edit themselves out of your memory as soon as you look away," Rory said, "The exact second you're not looking at them you can't remember anything."

"Sometimes you feel a bit sick through, but not always." Amy added.

"So that's why you marked your skin?" Canton asked.

"Only way we'd know if we'd had an encounter."

"How long have they been here?"

"That's what we've spent three months trying to find out."

"Not easy." Rory sighed, "If you can't remember anything you discover."

"But how long do you think?" Canton questioned.

"As long as there's been something in the corner of your eye, or creaking in your house, or breathing under your bed, or voices through a wall." The Doctor explained, "They've been running your lives for a very long time now, so keep this straight in your head. We are not fighting an alien invasion, we're leading a revolution. And today the battle begins."

"How?"

"Like this." He leaned back and injected Star's hand.

"Ow!" Star gritted her teeth.

"Ha-ha!" he smirked triumphantly at her, as she scowled at him, "Nano recorder. Fuses with the cartilage in your hand." Star took the injected from him and proceeded to inject his hand, "Ow!"

"I win." She smirked.

He stuck his tongue out at her before continuing, "Then it tunes itself directly to the speech centres in your brain. It'll pick up your voice, no matter what. Telepathic connection. So the moment you see one of the creatures, you active it." he palm glowed red, "And describe aloud exactly what you're seeing." He pressed his palm. "And describe aloud exactly what you're seeing." Recorded back, "Because the moment you break contact, you're going to forget it happened. The light will flash if you've left yourself a message. You keep checking your hand. If you've had an encounter that's the first you'll know about it."

"Why didn't you tell me this before we started?" Canton accused.

"We did." Star told him, "Even information about these creatures erases itself over time." She pressed a few buttons on the console, "We couldn't refresh it, cos we couldn't talk to you."

Canton glanced over his shoulder and proceeded to straighten the Doctor bow tie as everyone watched him.

"What?" he blinked at them, "What are you staring at?"

"Look at your hand," River told him.

He looked down at his hand, seeing it flash red, "Why's it doing that?"

"What does it mean is the light's flashing?" the Doctor asked him, "What did I just tell you?"

"I haven't…"

"Play it." Star ordered.

Canton pressed the button and his voice played back to them, "My god, how did it get in here?"

"Keep eye contact with the creature and when I say, turn back, and when you do, straighten my bow tie." the Doctor added on recording.

He turned around again as the recording continued, "What? What are you staring at?"

"Look at your hand." River finished on the recording.

His eyes widened as he saw the creature standing there.

"It's a hologram," Star explained, "Extrapolated from a photo on Amy's phone. Take a good long look," the hologram faded away, "Describe the creature."

Canton shook his head, "I can't."

"No." the Doctor sighed, "Neither can I." He snapped his fingers at Star, "Describe it the best you can."

She blinked, "Um…in a suit? Eh…long fingers? I dunno."

He nodded, that was better than the rest of them. With her mind working different from the rest, she was able to describe them better, remember them slightly longer than them and see things others couldn't. He turned back to Canton, "You straightened my bow tie because I planted the idea in your head while you were looking at the creature."

"So they could do that to people." Amy followed, "You could be doing stuff and not really knowing why you're doing it."

"Like post hypnotic suggestions." Rory suggested.

"Ruling the world with post hypnotic suggestion..."

"Now then," the Doctor headed to the console, "A little girl in a space suit. They got the suit from NASA, but where did they get the girl?"

"Where do you normally find unwanted or uncared for children?" Star sighed, sadly, "Children homes." She brought the home up on the scanner.

~.~

Star crouched besides a module of Apollo 11. The Doctor was lying inside, a myriad of wires above him, which he was working on. She had tried to beat him to it but he had beaten her and she was sure that he would mess up.

Her thoughts where interrupted when something beeped inside the Doctors jacket.

"Star." he called, still working.

"I got it." she sighed as reached into his pocket, pulling out a small earpiece and put it in her ear, "So what's the stitch?" She called into it, knowing it was Amy on the other side.

"I think we've found the place she was taken from." Amy replied.

"What makes you think that?"

"Cos those things have been here. But the whole place is deserted. There's just one guy here and I think he's lost it."

"Repeated memory wipes eventually fry your head. Find out what you can, but hurry up. Don't hang around longer than necessary."

"Where are you?"

Star looked over at the door, seeing two scientist approaching, "Gotta go." She hung up on Amy and gently nudged the Doctor knee, getting his attention, "We've got company!"

The Doctor sat up, "Don't worry. I put everything back the way I found it." he spotted a wire in his hand, "Except this. There's always a bit left over, isn't there?"

Star rolled her eyes and tutted at him, "Give it here." She nudged him out and with a bit of rewiring up the wire back in it rightful place, "There we go. All working."

"Show off." The Doctor pouted.

~.~

The Doctor and Star sat next to each other in chairs, both handcuffed, both very calm.

An MP stood behind them as two men, in white shirts and black suits stood questioning them.

"One more time," the man who sat in front of them began, "How the hell did you get into the command module?"

"We told you!" the Doctor rolled his eyes, "We're on a top secret mission fro the President." He bit the chain of his cuffs.

"Well, maybe if you just get President Nixon to assure us of that, that would be swell."

"I sent him a message." Star shrugged.

The men scoffed as Nixon walked in with River in a blue skirt and Rory in a suit and glasses acting as his aids. The TARDIS just visible in the background outside the room.

"Hello," Nixon smiled, the Doctor waving his finger and Star nodding as the men whipped round in shock, "it's Mr Gardener, is that correct?" he shook the formally seated mans hand, "head of security?"

"Ah, yes, sir. Yes, Mr President."

"Mr Grant is it?" he turned to the other man.

"Yes, Mr Present." He blinked and shook his hand.

"The hopes and dreams of million of Americans stand here today, at Cape Kennedy, and you are the men who guard those dreams. On behalf of the American people, I thank you."

"Your welcome, Mr President." Gardner grinned.

"I understand you have a baby on the way, Mr Grant?"

"Yes, Mr President." Grant nodded.

"What are you hoping for, boy or girl?"

"Just a healthy American, sir."

"A healthy American will do just nicely," he pinched Grants shoulder in a friendly manor, "Now, fellas, listen. These people, code name the Doctor and Star are doing some work for me, personally. Could you cut them a little slack?"

"Er, Mr President," "They did break into Apollo 11." Gardner reminded him.

The Doctor mouthed 'Sorry' to Nixon while Star smirked, victoriously at haven broke into Apollo 11 and led the Doctor inside without getting caught, for a while anyway.

"Well," Nixon cleared his throat, "I'm sure they had a very good reason for that. But I need you to reeves them now, so he can get on with some very important work for the American people. Could you do that for me?"

"Well..." Grant began.

"Son, I am your Commander-in-chief."

"Then I guess tat would be fine, Mr President." Gardner smiled.

"Glad to hear it."

The MP unlocked the handcuffs and the Doctor and Star jumped up.

"Thank you!" the Doctor shook Grants hand, "Bye-bye." he shook Gardner's hand and headed to the TARDIS.

"See ya!" Star called walked after him.

"Carry on, gentlemen," Nixon nodded as followed the Time Lords, followed by River.

Rory accidentally broke a piece of the model lunar module on the desk; he slipped the piece on the desk. He cleared his throat; "America salutes you." he saluted and joined the other, closing the doors behind him.

~.~

"You have to tape everything that happens in this office," the Doctor instructed Nixon as he sat at his desk back in the oval office, "Every word or we won't know if your under the influence."

"You have to give me more that this!" Nixon got up from his chair, "What were you doing in Apollo 11?"

"A thing. A clever thing."

"You have to trust us." Star stressed, "Trust us and nobody else."

"Doctor!" River poked out of the TARDIS doors, "Star! It's Canton! Quick, he needs us!"

"Gotta go!" Star and the Doctor ran into the TARDIS as they dematerialised.

~.~

The Doctor, Star, Rory and River ran up the stairs of Greystark children's home hearing Amy shouting for help.

"Amy!" They heard Canton pounding in a door, "Amy, can you hear me? I'm going to try and blow the lock. I need you to stand back."

"Put the gun down!" Star ordered as they ran over, "Get out of the way!" she threw her hands out and blasted the door off it hinges.

"I can't see!" Amy screamed.

They ran in the room but there was no sign of Amy.

"Where is she?" Rory looked around.

The Doctor scanned the spacesuit that was on the floor. River opened the visor, "It's empty."

"It's dark," Amy called, "It's so dark, I don't know where I am. Please, can anybody hear me?"

Star looked down to see Amy's nano recorder blinking in the floor she picked it up and gave it to Rory.

"They took this out of her?" he held it in his hands and looked at her, "How did they do that, Star?" Amy whimpered and sobbed over the recording. "Why can we still hear her?"

"Is it a recording?" River wondered.

"Wherever she is right now," Star explained, "this is what she's saying."

"Amy?" Rory called into the recording, "Can you hear me? We're coming for you. Wherever you are, we're coming. I swear."

"She can't hear you." the Doctor remarked, "I'm so sorry. It's one way."

"Shut up and let him talk to her," Star elbowed him in the ribs.

"She can always hear me, Doctor." Rory agreed, glaring at him, "Always, wherever she is. She always knows that I am coming for her, do you understand me? Always."

"Doctor, are you out there?" Amy called, "Can you hear me? Doctor? Oh, god. Please, please, Doctor, just get me out of this."

"He's coming," Rory promised her, "Him and Star. I'll bring them. I swear."

"Hello, is someone in there?" someone called from the hallway and Canton raised his gun only to see who they assumed to be the owner of the home walking towards them, looking confused. Canton lowered his gun seeing him. "I think someone has been shot. I think we should help...I think..." he blinked... "I can't rem...I can't remember."

They ran out of the room and down into the mans office where a creature was on the floor, in pain as Canton shot it. It backed away as the Doctor and Star knelt next to it and the Doctor reached for it. "Ok. Who and what are you?"

"Silence, Doctor." it rasped, holding its wound, "We are the Silence."

The Time Lords through back to all the mentions they heard of the silence.

"And silence will fall."

~.~

The Doctor, Star and River examined the spacesuit. A small back and white TV playing the news, "The target for the Apollo 11 astronauts, the moon, at lift off, will be at a distance of 218,096 miles away. We're just past 2 minutes on the countdown. T minus 1 minted 54 seconds and counting..."

"It's an Exo-skeleton," River commented, "Basically, life support. There's about 20 different kinds of alien tech in here."

"Who was she?" the Doctor pondered, "What put her in here?"

"Put this on, you don't even need to eat. The suit processes sunlight directly. It's got built in weaponry and a communication system that can hack into anything."

"Including the telephone network?" Star looked at her.

"Easily."

"Why phone the President?"

"It defaults to the highest authority it can find. The little girl gets frightened; the most powerful man on Earth gets a phone called. The night terrors with a hotline to the White House." she looked up to see Star shaking her head and the Doctor licking her blue envelope, "You won't learn anything from that envelope, you know."

"Purchased on Earth," he remarked, "perfectly ordinary stationary. TARDIS blue. Summoned by a stranger who won't even show his face. That's a first for me. How about you?"

"Our lives are back to front. Your futures my past, your firsts are my last."

"Not really what I asked."

"Ask something else then." she huffed.

"What are the Silence doing?" Star shook her head, "Raising a child?"

"Keeping her safe. Even giving her independence."

"The only way to save Amy is to work out what the Silence are doing." Star walked over to Rory and sat down next to him.

"I know." Rory murmured.

"Every single thing we learn about them brings us a step closer."

"Yeah. I get it. I know."

"It is possible she not just any little girl." She added, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Well, I'd say she's human," River called as she continues examine the suit, "Going by the life support software."

"But?" the Doctor looked over, knowing there was more.

"She climbed out of this suit. Like she forced her way out. She must be incredibly strong."

"Incredibly strong and running away," Star whistled, "I like her."

"We should be trying to find her."

"Yes, I know, but how?"

"I have a feeling she'll find us." Star called over to them.

"Yeah, me too."

"This is Houston, do you read? Over." the TV continued.

"Why does it look like a NASA space suit?" Rory wondered.

The Doctor walked to the TV, "Because that what the Silence do. Think about it. They don't make anything themselves. They don't have to. They get other life forms to do it for them."

"So they're like parasites then." River followed.

"Super parasites," Star nodded, "Standing in the shadows of human history since the very beginning. We know they can influence human behaviour any way they want. If they've been doing that on a global scale for thousands of years…"

"Then what?" Rory cut her off.

"Then why did the human race suddenly decide to go to the moon?" the Doctor finished.

The TV counted down, "10, 9, ignition sequence start, 6, 5, 4…"

"Because the Silence needed a space suit."

"…1, 0, all engines on. Lift off. We have a lift off. 32 minutes past the hour, lift off on Apollo 11."

The Doctor opened the video Canton send on Amy's mobile from where he was dealing with the injured Silence.

"You should kill us all on sight." The Silence rasped on the video.

"This suit, it seems to be repairing itself." River commented as she scanned the spacesuit again and the glove twitched. "How is it doing that? A unit like this, would it ever be able to move without an occupant?"

"Why?" the Doctor frowned.

"Well, the little girl said the space man was coming to eat her. Maybe that's exactly what happened."

Star left Rory with some privacy as Amy began on the recorder, "I love you. I know you think it's him; I know you think it ought to be him. But it's not, it's you. And when I see you again, I'm going tell you properly, just to see your stupid face. My life was so boring before you just dropped out of the sky." Rory dropped his head, "So just get your stupid face where I can see it. OK? OK?" Star rolled her eyes as the Doctor went to talk to Rory. She sighed and followed.

"She'll be safe for now." The Doctor reassured him, "No point in a dead hostage."

"Can you save her?" Rory asked.

"We can track that signal back. Take us right to her."

"Then why haven't you?"

"Then what?" Star countered, "This isn't an alien invasion, Rory. They live here. This is their empire."

"This is kicking the Romans out of Rome." The Doctor added.

"Rome fell." Rory muttered.

"I know. I was there."

"So was I."

"Personal question."

"Seriously? You?"

"Do you ever remember it? 2,000 years, waiting for Amy? The Last Centurion?"

"No."

"Liar." Star remarked. "You don't forget something like that."

"But I don't remember it all the time." He continued, "It's like there's…a door in my head. I can keep it shut."

"Please come and get me." Amy sobbed on the recorder, "Come and get me."

~.~

"No!" they heard Amy scream as they materialised where the TARDIS had tracked Amy, "No!"

They four of them ran out of the TARIDS and the Silence turned to them.

"Oh!" the Doctor blinked, looking around to see the ship above Craig's flat, or at least something similar, "Interesting. Very Aickman Road, seen one of these before. Abandoned, wonder how that happened. Oh, well! I suppose I'm about to find out. Rory, River, keep one Silent in eyeshot at all times. Oh, hello, sorry. You're in the middle of something. Just had to say though, have you seen what's on the telly? Hello, Amy, you all right? Want to watch some television?" he placed the TV he was carrying on the console, "Ah, now, stay where you are. Because look at me, I'm confident. You want to watch that, me, when I'm confident. Oh, and this is my friend, River. Nice hair, clever, has own gun, and unlike me, she really doesn't mind shooting people. I shouldn't like that. Kind of do."

"Thank you sweetie." River smiled.

"And I don't take well to those who harm the people I care about." Star glared around at the Silence, slipping her dagger down her arm and into her hand.

"I know you team players and everything," the Doctor continued, "but River will definitely kill at least the first 3 of you."

River moved to stand back to back with the Doctor, "The first 7, easily."

"7," he blinked, "really?"

"Oh, 8, for you, sweetie." She winked.

"Stop it."

"Make me!"

"Yeah, well, maybe I will."

"Or maybe I will!" Star threatened. "If you don't mind the flirting is my job!"

"Oh, sweetie…" River smirked.

"Is this really important flirting?" Amy called from where she was strapped down, "I feel like I should be higher on the list right now."

"Yes, right," the Doctor nodded, "As I was saying, my naughty friend here is going to kill the first 3 of you to attack, plus him behind. So maybe you want to draw lots, or have a quiz."

"What's he got?" Amy asked Rory who was trying to get her free.

"Something," he replied, "I hope."

The Doctor walked around the console, "or maybe you could just listen a minute, because all I really want to do is accept your total surrender, and then I'll let you go in peace. You've been interfering in human history for thousands of years. People have suffered and died. But what's the point in two hearts, if you can't be a bit forgiving now and then." He stared at the leader, "Ooh! The Silence. You guys take that seriously, don't you? OK, you got me, I'm lying. I'm not really going to let you go that easily. Nice thought, but it's not Christmas. First," he turned the TV on, "you tell me about the girl. Who is she? Why is she important? What's she for? Guys, sorry. But you're way out of time. Now, come on, a bit of history for you. Aren't you proud, because you helped? Do you know how many people are watching this live on the telly? Half a billion, and that's nothing, because the human race will spread out among the stars, you just watch them fly. Billions and billions of them, for billions and billions of years. And every single one of them, at some point in their lives, will look back at this man, taking that very first step, and they will never, ever forget it." he stopped and watched the moon landing.

"Oh," Star took out the phone, "But they'll forget this bit," she called into the phone, "Ready?"

"Ready." Canton answered.

"It's one small step for man…" Neil Armstrong began.

And the broadcast shifted to the Silence that Canton videoed earlier, on a loop, "You should kill us all on sight."

"You just gave the order for your own execution." Star smirked.

"One giant leap for mankind." Armstrong finished.

"And one whacking great kick up the backside for the Silence!" the Doctor added. "You just raided an army against yourself."

"And now, for a thousand generations, you're going to be ordering them to destroy you every day." Star chuckled, darkly.

"How fast can you run? Because today's the day the human race throws you off their planet." The Doctor backed away as the Silence leader approached him, "They won't even know they're doing it. I think, quite possibly the word you're looking for right now is, 'Oops!' Run!"

"He means us!"

The Silence began to draw on their energy and River began firing at them as the Doctor pulled his sonic out to keep them back.

"I can't get her out!" Rory cried as he struggled with Amy's strapped.

"Go, just go!" she told him.

"We are not leaving without you!"

"Will you just get your stupid face out of here?!"

Rory stopped and looked at her, stunned.

"TARDIS. In. Quickly!" Star shouted, rushing over and cutting through her binds and they ran inside, River, the Doctor and Star covering them.

"Don't let them build to full power!" the Doctor told them.

"I know." River remarked, "there's a reason why im shooting, sweetie! What are you doing?"

"Helping."

"You've got a screwdriver. Go build a cabinet!"

"That's really rude!"

"Shut up and drive!"

"Shut up and stop flirting!" Star huffed as she stabbed a Silence where a heart should be, whether they had one or not.

The Doctor ran into the TARDIS before running back out again and dragging Star inside as she continued to kill the Silence. River spun around, killing all of the Silence. She finished in a crouch and slowly stood to see Star leaning at the doorway watching in awe.

River twirled her gun into its holster, "My old man didn't see that, did he? He gets ever so cross."

"Nice work," Star commented.

"So, what kind of doctor are you?" Rory peeked out behind Star.

"Archaeology." without looking back she fired at the remaining Silence. "Love a tomb." She entered the TARDIS leaving Star smirking after her and Rory flabbergast.

River pushed the Doctor away from the console as Star shut the doors and headed after her, helping her.

"You can let me fly it!" the Doctor huffed.

"Or we could go where we're supposed to." River argued.

Amy walked to Rory who stood by the door. Amy assuring him that even those she said 'he dropped out of the sky' she meant him, not the Doctor and she pulled him into a kiss.

~.~

Back in the Oval office, which they had managed to get to with Star and River piloting, the Doctor pouting form the jump seat, Nixon shook the Doctors hand. "So we're safe again."

"Safe?" the Doctor scoffed, "no, of course you're not safe. There's a billion other things out there, waiting to burn your whole world. But if you want to pretend you're safe, just so you can sleep at night, ok, you're safe. But you're not really." He turned to Canton, "Canton. Till the next one, eh?" they shook hands.

"Looking forward to it." Canton grinned.

Star turned to Nixon, "Canton just wants to get married. Helluva reason to kick him out of the FBI."

"Im sure something can be arranged." Nixon agreed.

"Im counting on it."

"Er…Doctor, Star, Canton here tells me you're…from the future. Hardly seems possible, but I was wondering…"

"Should warn you," the Doctor cut him off, "We don't answer a lot of questions."

"But im a President at the beginning of his time. Dare I ask? Will I be remembered?"

"Oh, Dickie. Tricky Dickie. They're never going to forget you." they headed to the TARDIS, "Say hi to David Frost for me."

"David Frost?"

The TARDIS dematerialised.

~.~

In Stormcage, the Doctor and Star dropped River off back in her cell.

"You could come with us." Star offered.

"I escape often enough, thank you." River commented, "And I have a promise to live up to you'll understand, soon enough."

"Ok," the Doctor shrugged, "up to you." they headed back to the TARDIS, "see you next time."

"Call us." Star called.

"What, that's it?" River laughed, "What the matter with you both?"

"Are we forgetting something?"

"Oh, shut up." She pulled the both into a hug.

Star squirmed on contact, "Let me go!" she fidgeted her way out of the hug and River eventually let go.

"What wrong?" she looked between them, something wasn't right about that hug, "You're acting like we've never done that before."

"We haven't." the Doctor admitted.

"We haven't?" that would explain why Star squirmed away.

"That was nice." Star lied, trying to comfort the woman, feeling bad, "unexpected, but nice. First time for everything." They entered the TARDIS, Star just making out River whispering.

"And a last."

"Rory, im going to need thermo couplings," the Doctor called to him, "the green ones and the blue ones."

"Ok," Rory nodded, "hold on." He headed off.

"So."  
"So?" Amy frowned.

"You're ok?"

"Fine. Heads a bit weird. There's lots of stuff I can't quite remember."

"After effect of the Silence," Star waved her of, "natural enough. That not what he means. You said you were pregnant."

"Yes."

"Why?" the Doctor asked.

"Because I was. I thought I was. Turns out I wasn't."

"No. why did you tell us"  
"you're my friend. My best friend."

"Im not." Star said.

"But you were there."

"Touché. Have you told Rory?"

"No." she admitted to them.

"Amy, why tell us and not Rory?" the Doctor wondered.

"Why do you think? I travelled with you in this TARDIS for so long. All that time. If I was pregnant for some of it, wouldn't it have ha an effect? I don't want to tell Rory, this baby might have three heads or like a time head of something?"

"A time head?" Star raised her eyebrows.

"I don't know, but what if it had one."

"A time head?" the Doctor repeated.

"Shut up, all right!" they laughed, "Oi! Stupid face."

Rory re-entered the console room, "Er, yeah. Hello." He tried to cover up the fact that he was eavesdropping.

"Taking that away from you, if you're going to listen in all the time."

"Ok, that's a fair point. But you should've told me that you thought you were pregnant. Im a nurse, im good with pregnancy."

"Not, as it turned out, that good. So can you stop being stupid?" she hugged him.

"Er, no." he grinned, "Never. Im never, ever going to stop being stupid!"

"So, this little girl," the Doctor ran up to the console, "it's all about her. Who was she? Or we could just go off and have some adventures. Anyone in the mood for adventures. I am. You only live once."

"Technically, we live 13 times." Star corrected.

"Smarty pants." He muttered.

"Excuse me?"

His grinned faltered slightly as he looked at the screen. Star, seeing this looked as well to see the TARDIS performing a full body scan on Amy, the results of her pregnancy switching between positive and negative.


	3. Bad night

The Doctor rushed in holding a goldfish bowl, with Star right behind him, picking up the hem of the dress she was in to stop herself from tripping over it. "I think that's probably for us! Hold this!" he shoved the bowl into Amy's hands and took the phone off her, "Hello! Ah! Yes, everything's fine! Don't worry. Well exactly," he started pacing, forcing Star and Amy to duck under the cord, "Why should you be worrying? Who even mentioned worrying? She's fine! No, your mum is, your mum is fine."

"Don't answer this phone." Star hissed to Amy, "Only we answer this phone."  
"Where have you been?" Amy demanded. She had been trying to sleep, but couldn't so she had gone to get a mug of warm milk and had heard the phone ringing and so she had answered it as there was no sign of the Time Lords.  
"A party, just a party." Star waved her off as the Doctor continued speaking on the phone.

"Um, yes, your mum is here actually," the Doctor winced, "but she can't come to the phone at the moment. Well, she's…busy. Well you know…the Commonwealth…" he spoke quietly to the fish, "It's your son, ma'am, he wants to talk to you. We can't let him see you like this…well, hear you, not that he could hear you, you're a fish!" the phone rang again, "Sorry, I've got another call coming in…" he switched calls, "Hello? There is not a bit of use yelling ambassador, your warrior chief is trapped in my TARDIS and, until you've turned her majesty here back into a human being, he's staying put. Don't worry. He's Perfectly safe…" he spotted a rolled up newspaper on the console, "Just putting you on hold," he hung up and turned to Amy, "What have you done?"  
"I thought it was a fly…" Amy winced.  
"So much for the slaughterer of 10 million souls." Star smirked. Despite the situation she was highly amused.  
"What is going on?!" Amy demanded again, having not gotten any answered the first time.  
"We were at a party." The Doctor waved her off, "There was a slight incident."

"The queen got turned into a fish." Star stated and the Doctor winced.

"How…?" Amy asked slowly. Just the way she said it as though it was no big deal, how does a queen get turned into a fish so easily.

"The Doctor." She looked down at the queen who was now a fish and her eyes widened, "Doctor…it's the wrong fish!" but he didn't hear her.  
Amy shook her head, "Wait, what, so you sneak out at night to party? Is that why you're all dressed up?" she looked the Time Lords up and down. The Doctor was in a black tux and top hat while Star was in a dark purple/black ombre flowy, floor length dress with a criss-cross style across her bust, "You never dress up."

"He forced me!" Star accused, pointing at the Doctor. It was true, she had caught he sneaking out and so had decided to go out with him but he had made the rules that if she was to go with him she would have to wear a dress, so resentfully she had picked out a random dress, that seemed to suit her, or at least River said it did.

"Is River at the party?"  
"Oh why would she be there?" the Doctor scoffed.  
"Don't; just don't lie to me Doctor. You're rubbish at it."  
"Look I do not sneak out at night to parties with, with…with River Song!" he placed his hat on Amy's head.  
"Hmm, how is she?" Amy asked.  
"Fine."  
"See? Rubbish." Amy grinned, giving Star a high-five.

"Doctor!" Star said, louder this time, "It's the wrong fish!" again he didn't listen, "Oh fine!" she grumbled, "You can find out for yourself."  
"Sorry, but we're in the middle of a thing." He headed back for the doors with the fish.  
"Doctor," Amy began, "Star, I…I need to talk to you…there is a reason that I couldn't sleep…"  
"RORY!" the Doctor yelled.  
"What are you doing?!" Amy whispered-shouted at him.  
"You've got the serious face on." The Doctor told her "I always shout for Rory when you've got the serious face. RORY! She's having an emotion!"  
"What?" Rory entered, yawning, "What's wrong Amy?"  
"Why are you calling him?" Amy hissed, leaning closer to the Doctor.  
"It's his turn." The Doctor defended himself.  
"You two have you two have turns?!" Amy looked between the men.

"I know!" Star cried, mock-outrage, "They do the same for me, when I have a 'temper tantrum!'"  
"NO!" the Doctor suddenly shouted, "It's the wrong fish…I've taken the wrong fish."

"I tried to tell you that!" Star sighed, sticking her head out the door, "River we've got the wrong fish!"

"Uh, look sorry you two, we've made a mistake."

"You made a mistake."

"We've got three hours to save the Commonwealth."  
"What happens in three hours?" Rory asked.  
The Doctor took his hat from Amy, "The pet shops open." He and Star ran back out, needing to get the queen back before it was too late.


	4. Curse of the black spot

"Wouldn't do that if I were you," Star remarked as the Doctor soniced a hatch above theirs heads. The TARDIS had landed in a storeroom of some kind and the ground was wet, so it was obviously a ship of some kind, knowing their luck, a pirate ship.

"Oh, don't be so glum," he winked and banged on the hatch, seeing the sonic fail.

Only for it to be opened by…a group of pirates…

"Yo ho ho!" he cheered, "or does nobody actually say that?"

"You know they don't!" Star slapped his arm.

Like she thought.

Pirates.

Great.

~.~

The group stood in the captains quarters, the captains crew behind him, blocking the door as the captain faced them, questioning them.

"We made no signal." the captain said.

"Our sensors picked you up," the Doctor told him. "Ship is distress."

"Sensors?"

"Problem word." Star muttered, "Our ship automatically noticed that your ship was in trouble."

"That big blue crate?" the captain frowned.

The Doctor snapped his fingers at him.

"Tis is more magic Captain Avery," a crew member beside him stated, "They're spirits! How else would they have found their well below deck?"

"Well, I want to say multidimensional engineering," the Doctor began, "But since you have a problem with sensors I won't go there."

"Look." Star sighed, "I'm Star. He's the Doctor." she nodded to him, "That's Rory and Amy."

"We're pirates." the Doctor added, "Same as you! Argh...!" the captain pointed his gun at his head, "Except for the gun thing. And the beardy-ness."

"You're stowaways," Avery declared, "Only explanation. 8 days we've been stranded here. Becalmed. You must have stowed away before he sailed.

"So what do we do with them" the man besides the captain asked.

"Oh I think they deserve our hospitality."

The Doctor smiled as Star shook her head at him.

Pirates with good hospitality. She mentally snorted. Please.

~.~

The pirates had forced the Doctor to walk the plank as so he was currently state at the end of the plank. "I suppose that laughing like that is in the job description," the Doctor remarked as the pirates laughed at him, "'Can you do the laugh?' check. Grab yourself a parrot. Welcome aboard."

"Stocks are low." the Captain, Avery, told him, "Only one barrel of water remains. We don't need more empty bellies to fill."

"Oh, so no more rum?" Star asked, "'Why I the rum always gone?'" she sighed.

"Take the doxies below to the gallery. Set them to work. They won't need much feeding."

One of the pirates 'escorted' Star and Amy to the stairs, leading them below desk.

"Let me go!" Star squirmed in his grip.

"Rory," Amy called back to him, "A little help?"

Rory was restrained by another pirate, "Hey, listen right. They are not doxies."

"I didn't mean just tell him off. Thanks anyway."

"Nice try though." Star encouraged him.

The pirate forced them below.

Star looked around room they were in and spotted a chest; she rummaged through it and found it full of swords, "You thinking what I'm thinking?" She smirked at Amy who smirked back. She tested the sword in her hand, testing the feel and weight of it.

They also spotted some pirate clothing.

~.~

"Where are the rest of the crew?" the Doctor wondered, "This is a big ship. Big for 5 of you. I suppose the rest of them are hiding some place," he held his nose, ready to jump, "And they're going to jump out and shout 'Boo!'"

"Boo!" Star and Amy shouted as they jumped back on deck. Amy wearing a blue coat and triangular hat, just behind Star who pointed her sword at the captain.

"Throw the gun down!" Star instructed in a calm but threatening tone.

Avery dropped his gun and Amy grabbed it.

"The rest of you," Amy ordered, "on your knees." she aimed the gun at them.

"What are you doing?"

"You said they were going to jump out and shout 'boo!' so we did." Star shrugged, "But we're also saving your life."

"Ok with that, are you?" Amy added.

"Put the sword down," Avery commanded, eyeing Star who seem used to holding one "A sword could kill us all."

"That's why I'm pointing it at you." Star sneered. She swished the sword around a bit, showing off her skills when a man lunged forwards, attacking, they forced her back into a corner and she cut some rope and swing through the air of a piece of rigging, she cut one of the crew before landing on a barrel with perfect balance.

The Doctor blinked at the skills he didn't know she had and she sent him a small wink.

"You have killed me." The man breathed in terror.

"No I didn't!" she defended, "you're fine."

"It's just a cut." Amy rolled her eyes. "What kind of pirates are you?" the man looked at his hand, horrified.

"One drop," Avery cut in, "That's all it takes, one drop of blood and she'll rise out of the ocean."

"It was barely a scratch," Star huffed.

"What's all the huff about?" Amy shook her head.

One of the pirates approached Star and she swung out on the rope. He grabbed the rope, stopping her and she let go of her sword. Rory tried to catch it and cut his hand.

"Um," Rory blinked, seeing a black spot on his hand, "What's happening to me?" he held up to show everyone.

"She can smell the blood on your skin," Avery murmured, "She's marked you for death."

"She?"

"A demon. Out there in the ocean."

"Ok, groovy." the Doctor hopped off the plank and walked over, "So not just pirates today. We've managed to vast a ship where there's a demon popping in." he examined Rory's hand, "Very efficient. I mean if something's going to kill you. It's nice that it drops you a note to remind you."

A soft ethereal song began to be sing and they looked around.

"Quickly now block out the sound!" the black man covered his ears.

"What?" Rory shook his head.

"The creature," Avery backed closer to the crew, "She charms all her victims with that song.

"Oh, great," Rory scoffed, "So put my fingers in my ears. That's your plan? Doctor, come in let's go let's get back to the...back to the..." he began giggling.

"The music," the black man said, "it's working on him. Look."

"You're so beautiful," Rory gazed at Amy.

"What?" she stared back at him, surprised to the sudden change.

"I love you're get up. That's great. You should dress as a pirate more often. Cuddle me, shipmate."

"Rory stop."

"Everything is total brilliant isn't it? Look at these brilliant pirates. Look at their brilliant beards. I'd like a beard. I'm going to grow a beard."

"You're not."

"The music turns them into fools," Avery told them, as the Doctor and Star watched as Rory and the black man laughed.

Oh my god..." Amy gasped, staring at someone behind them. They turned to see a greenish glow appear in the water. Everyone watched as a woman, the Siren, rose from the water. Rory's and the black man's jaws dropped in awe. The Siren lowered on desk and Amy struggled to keep Rory back. The black man walked toward her, and reached for the Sirens outstretched arm. His disappeared as her touch the Siren.

Rory broke free off Amy's grip, "I have to touch her. Let me touch her."

"Sorry," Amy stepped up to the Siren, "But he's spoken for!"

The Siren hissed and turned red, sending Amy flying backwards in deck.

"Amy!" the Doctor ran to her, "Everyone into the hold."

They all ran into the hold, except Rory, still enhanced.

Star groaned and grabbed Rory.

"Hey!" He cried as she shoved him down into the hold.

They splashed through the gathered water in the hold.

"What is that thing?" Amy demanded, talking about the Siren.

"The legend," Avery stated, "The Siren. Many a merchant ship, laden with treasure has fallen prey to her. She's been hunting us ever since we were becalmed. Picking off the injured.

"Like a shark," the second in commanded agreed, "A shark that can smell blood."

"A shark, in a dress, singing and green." Star remarked, sarcastically.

The Doctor, not noticing the sarcasm snapped his fingers at her, "A green singing shark in an evening gown."

Star closed her eyes, exasperated.

"The ship is cursed." Avery decided.

"Yes, 'cursed,'" Star mocked him, "Meaning bad things happen but you can't be bothered to find an explanation."

"She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Rory smiled dreamily.

Star winced, "not the best thing to say in front of your wife."

"Actually," Amy agreed with Star, "I think you'll find she isn't. We have to leave. Right now."

"That thing of yours is a ship?" Avery looked at the Doctor.

"Well, it's not propelled by the wind." He shrugged the man off.

"Show me. Weigh anchor. Make it sail!" he pulled out his gun.

"And the guns back. You're big on the gun thing aren't you? Freud says you're compensating. Have you ever met Freud? No? Comfy sofa."

"You and you're comfy sofas." Star rolled her eyes, thinking back to the Byzantium.

"Leave the cursed one, captain." Another pirate said, "The creature can have him."

"Yes, please." Rory nodded, very happy with that suggestion.

"Don't even think about it," Star stepped up in a threatening tone.

"We don't want the siren coming after us." Avery glared at her.

Star was about to snap back at him when one of the pirates cried out and lifted his leg from the water.

"It's a leech!" Amy realised, seeing it on the mans leg.

"Everyone out of the water!" the Doctor ordered and the all climbed onto the crates.

The pirate pulled the leech from his leg, "It's bitten me, im bleeding!" the black spot appeared.

"She wants blood," Star realised, "Why blood?"

"What were you saying about leaving the cursed ones behind?" Amy glared at him as Star smirked.

"Its ok," the Doctor assured them all, "We're safe down here. No 'curse'; is getting through here solid inches of timber."

"Don't…" Star began when the siren appeared behind the Doctor and began singing. "…say that!"

"Ah." the Doctor faced the siren, "Hello again."

Amy held Rory tightly as the 'cursed' pirate walked forwards.

"No!" the Doctor, Star and Avery yelled in unison, "No! No!"

The man touched the sirens hand and disappeared. His hat falling to the floor. They quickly ran out of the hold, Star pushing Rory as the Doctor carried the pirate's hat.

The Doctor bolted the door behind them and they hid below deck.

"Safe?" Amy raised her eyebrows at him.

"I have my good days and my bad days." The Doctor waved her off.

"How did she get in?"

The Doctor soniced the hat, "The bilge water, she's using water like a portal, a door. She can materialise through a single drop. We need to go somewhere with no water." He put the hat on his head.

"Isn't it good we're not in the middle of the ocean," Star commented, bitterly and sarcastically.

"Did you see her eyes?" Rory sighed heavenly, "Like crystal pools."

"You are in enough trouble." Amy warned him.

"The magazine!" Avery exclaimed.

"What?"

"He means the armoury where the powder's stored." Star explained to her.

"It's dry as a bone." Avery nodded.

"Good let's go, there." The Doctor began walking of when Avery pulled his gun out on him.

"I give the orders."

"Stop pulling the gun out," Star moaned, "you always pull it out and threaten us, but if you want to live I'd suggest you stop with the threats and listen to us!"

"Nobody touch anything sharp!" the Doctor instructed.

"Come on Rory." Amy tugged Rory off by the arm and they walked to the Magazine.

"Quickly, man." Avery commanded as one of the crew took out a ring of keys to unlock the door.

"The key, 'tis gone, Cap'n." he looked at him.

"How can it have gone?"

The Doctor pushed the door open, "Someone else had the same idea."

They cautiously entered, to see the room empty.

"Barricade the door," Avery ordered his men, "Careful of that lantern! Every barrel is full of powder."

"Who's been sleeping in my gun room?" the Doctor mused.

There was a muffled cough and Avery removed the lid off one of the barrels. He reached a hand in and pulled out a young boy. "You fool. You fool, boy. What are you doing here?"

"Who is he?" one of the pirates asked.

"What," the Doctor looked between them, "he's not one of the crew?"

"No. he's my son." Avery told them.

Avery's son sat on a bench, Avery next to him and everyone gathered around.

"What in gods name possessed you, boy?" Avery demanded, "Your mother will be searching for you." the boy looked down, and Avery realised, "when?"

"Last winter," he replied quietly, "Fever. She told me all about you. How you were a Captain in the Navy. An honourable man, she said. How I would be proud to know you," he coughed, "I've come to join your crew."

"I don't want you here." He looked away.

"You can't send me back. It's too late. We're a hundred miles form home."

"It's dangerous here. There's a monster aboard. She leaves a mark on men's skin."

"The black spot?" he guessed showing the palm of his hand, a black spot on it. Avery grabbed his sons hand as the boy coughed.

The Doctor, Star, Amy and Rory sat around, Rory rubbing the spot on his palm.

"There's nothing wrong with the boy." Avery remarked, "He has no scars."

"Yep." The Doctor nodded, "Ignore my last theory."

"He has his good days and his bad days." Amy repeated.

"She's coming for the sick and wounded," Star explained, she noticed he had a fever after she had a small conversation with him. Found out his name was Toby. He was a nice boy.

"Like a hunter chooses the weakest animal." The Doctor added.

"Ok, he's got a fever."

"The siren knows it. Humans. Second-rate. Damage too easily. It's only a matter of time before everyone gets bruised. My ship, it can sail us all away from here. You and me, we fetch it. Let's go." He stood up.

Avery pulled his gun out again, "You're not the Captain here, remember?"

"Again with the gun." Star moaned.

Avery's son opened one of the barrels to reveal water inside. The siren reached her arms out but Star quickly forced the lid back on as she was closest.

"The water's dangerous." Avery told his son, "That's how she gets through. One touch of her hand and you're a dead man!"

"We're all curse if we stay aboard!" the second in command cried.

"It's not a curse." Star stressed, why would they not listen? "Curse means game over. Curse means helpless. The game is NOT over, and we are NOT helpless. So," she turned to Avery, "Captain, what's our next move?"

Avery dropped a pendant around the boy's neck. "Wait with the boy," he turned to his second in command.

"Captain we're all in danger here." He reminded him.

"I said wait, and barricade the door after we've gone."

"Sure you want to go?" Amy asked the Doctor.

"We have to get Rory and Toby away," the Doctor sighed, "She's out there now, licking her lip, boiling a saucepan, grating cheese."

"You want me to stay here?" Star guessed.

"Please. And remember there are worse ways than having your face snogged off by a dodgy mermaid." He patted Rory's shoulder and left.

Star rubbed Toby's back as the boy sat on the floor coughing.

"What's wrong?" Rory looked at Amy.

"The most beautiful thing you've ever seen." She whispered.

"Oh, tell me I didn't really say that." Rory groaned.  
Star noticed the two pirates removing the barrels blocking the door, "What are you doing?"

"We're not staying here to mollycoddle the boy." The first pirate said, "The Captain's gone soft, it's time for us to leave."

"Are you going against your Captains orders?" Star raised an eyebrow at them.

Toby stood up, "He told you to wait, you dog. He's your captain, a Naval Officer. You're honour-bound to do as he tells you."

"'Honour-bound?' the pirate scoffed, "Do you know what kind of ship this is? Do you know what your father does?"

Amy put her arms around Toby's shoulders, "Don't listen to him, Toby."

"We sail under the black flag. The Jolly Rodger."

"Liar!" Toby lunged at him, "He's no wicked pirate!"

"Oh, you think so? I've seen your father gun down a thousand innocent men." He turned to the other crew member, "Get what treasure you can I'll meet you in the row boat."

Toby pointed a sword at him, "You're going to remain at your post."

"I am not playing games with you boy, you put that down."

"One more step and I'll use this, you blaggard."

"Toby." Star called softly to the boy, "Give the sword to me. Please." Toby hesitated but gave her it. "Thank you."

"Taking orders from a girl." The pirate sneered.

Star whipped around and cut his hand.

"Ah! No…" he breathed as the spot appeared on his hand. "You little swabber!"

"Congratulations." Amy smirked, "Made it to the menu. Probably shouldn't go out there now."

He pulled a gun out, "You scurvy ape."

Star twiddled the sword around, victorious.

"Don't shoot!" Rory shouted, "The powder will blow and kill is all."

Another pirate took the keys.

"Mulligan," the first pirate turned to him, "What are you doing?"

Mulligan left.

"No one follows the pirate code." Star sighed.

Toby sat back down on the floor and took on his pendant from around his neck and began rubbing it, polishing it. Star frowned, watching him intently. He took out a cloth and polished it.

"Open the door!" the Doctor and Avery pounded on the door and Amy rushed to remove the barrels_, 'Star! Its reflection!'_

Star gasped and grabbed the pendant and began breathing on it, fogging it up as the Doctor and Avery ran in, they relaxed seeing her fogging it.

~.~

The Doctor ran out of the room and everyone followed him to the captain's cabin to see him smashing the glass, "We've got to destroy every reflection. Gold, silver, glass. She could spring form any of them." He smashed a mirror, "Oh, yes, yes, I know, I know. Very bad luck to break it. But look at it this way, there's a stroppy homicidal mermaid trying to kill all."

"How much worse can things get?" Avery shrugged.

"Help me lug this lot out."

"Where are we taking it?"

"The ocean."

"No. no! This treasure of the Mogul of India."

"Oh good," Star nodded, sarcastically, "For a second I thought it was yours."

"Must we do this?"

"Any reflection, any mirror, and the siren will attack." The Doctor told him.

"We have to protect Rory and Toby," Star added, "She almost got them moments ago."

"Go and get the crown from the storeroom." Avery left and the Doctor and Star began throwing the treasure out the broken window.

"Just wait?" Rory frowned as they all stood in the Magazine.

"Not my most dynamic plan, I realise." The Doctor sighed.

"TARDIS?" Amy asked.

"It's been towed."

"What?"

"Sorry. We might be stuck here fore a while."

"So you're saying that we should all just wait here below?" Rory asked.

"The sea is still calm," Avery remarked, "Like a mirror, if you go out on deck she'll rise up and attack you."

"But when the wind picks up we'll set sail." Star added, "The calm wont last forever."

"Until it does, you have to hide down here."

~.~

The Doctor and Star stood on deck, gazing at the stars. It's the thing they loved doing together. Normally sitting at the TARDIS doors and gazing out.

"Its not one star it two," the Doctor commented as Aver joined them, and he pointed, "The dog star. Sirius. Binary system."

"I use it to navigate the ocean." Avery nodded.

"We've travelled far, like you. Space can be very lonely. The greatest adventure is having someone share it with you." he patted Stars shoulder.

"Everyone needs someone." Star murmured.

"If we get out of this I'll take him back to England." Avery promised, "He can't stay with me. Im not the father he needs."

"The worst fathers are the best." Star remarked, "They know they're bad, which makes them so good." It was true. The Doctor thought him as a terrible dad, he did run off and leave the family, never to see them again, but…that's what makes him such a good dad now. He knows he made mistakes in the past and he is making up for it. Trying his best to make up for it, make it seem as though nothing ever went wrong. He's the best in the world.

"Who are you, Henry Avery?" the Doctor looked at him, "Respected naval officer, wife and child at home. How did you end up here, wandering the oceans with a band of rogues?"

"I've set my course now. Nothing I can't do to alter it."

"People stared at it for centuries and never knew. Things can suddenly change, when you're least expecting." He patted Avery's shoulder and he and Star walked off.

~.~

They stood quietly in the middle of the captain's cabin when Amy entered behind them, "Doctor?" she called quietly.

"Shh." Star hissed at her.

"What can you see?"

"Feels like something's out there, staring at us." She shivered suddenly as there was a crash of thunder and the ship rocked.

"Man the sails!" the Doctor shouted running from the room as the storm approached.

On the desk, the rain poured down as Avery held the rigging. Amy and Rory rushed up to them. "To the rigging, you dogs!" Avery called, "Let go the sails. Avest ye!"

Amy and Rory headed for the ropes holding the mainsail wheel Avery worked on the foresail. Star was at the wheel as the Doctor stood behind her, trying to take the wheel for himself. "Put the bunt into the slack of you clews."

"I swear he's making half this stuff up." Amy shouted.

"What we really need is some sort of phrase book." Rory agreed.

"Toby!" Avery yelled, "Find my coat. My compass is inside it, boy." Toby headed below, "Heave ho you bilge rats."

"'Rat's' was all I could hear."

Toby came back out with Avery's coat and a crown rolled out along the desk. Toby looked at his father, seeing prove that he is a pirate. The Siren reached out of the reflection and shot into the air above the ship, she sung as she floated down to the desk, her hand reaching out to Toby.

"Don't let her take you!" Avery cried.

But Toby walked to her, his hand out.

"No!"

Toby touched the siren and disappeared with a scream.

"No!"

Amy held onto Rory as he tried to reach for the siren. Star came down to help hold him back as the Doctor kicked the crown into the sea, the siren disappeared.

"Im sorry, im sorry!"

"You couldn't give up the gold could you?" The Doctor rounded on him, "That's why you turned pirate! Your commission, your wife, your son. Just how much is that treasure worth to you man?"

At that moment, the main yardage swung around, Star noticed this and shoved Rory out of the way but got hit and screamed as she was knocked over board into the ocean.

"Star!" the Doctor yelled, rushing over to the edge, he could just make her out as she tried to stay afloat, but struggling against the waves.

_'Release her!'_ Star managed to call to him before going under and staying under, her world going black.

~.~

The Doctor, Amy and Avery entered the sickbay the Siren kept everyone. Finally the Doctor realised what the Siren was, a doctor, but she didn't know how to heal them so she's keeping them there and alive.

Amy had been able to get Rory back by showing the Siren that she was his wife and that she could take care of him and Avery had gone to Toby while the Doctor had gone to Star, showing that he was responsible because he was her father.

"Star." he called to her softly, "Wake up."

Her eyes blinked awake and her eyes darted around the room, "Where are we?"

"You're in a hospital. If you leave you might die."

"Too late for that. I can feel the regeneration seeping in."

"Yeah, I know." he sighed, "You've got a choice. Stay here forever, the Siren will keep you safe or..."

"Or leave and regenerate." she nodded, "I choose regeneration."

"But...I was meant to protect you. Stop you from needing to regenerate."

"Hey. You did a good job so far. But regeneration is a part of life."

He nodded slowly, "One second," he walked over to Avery, "We have to send this ship back into space. Imagine if the Siren got ashore. She would have to process every injured human."

"What about Toby?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. Typhoid fever. Once he returns it's only a matter of time."

"What if I stay with him? Here. The Siren will look after him. I can't go back to England. And what home does he have now, if not with me?"

"Do you think you can sail this thing?"

"Just point me to the atom accelerator." he shrugged.

The Doctor smiled and patted his back before going back to Star. As Amy and Rory stood next to her.

It was easy for Amy to get Rory free as he only had a small cut on his hand, and the siren was clever, knew they were husband and wife by the ring.

"Ready?" the Doctor asked Star.

"Better be quick," She remarked, "It'd be safer to regenerate in the TARDIS."

The Doctor and the Ponds quickly unhooked her from the life support. The regeneration energy slowly began to surround her as the Doctor and Rory carried her into the TARDIS as Amy held the doors open for them.

"Stand back." the Doctor warned, pulling them behind him as the energy burst from Star as she screamed. It soon faded away to reveal a completely different person in her place.

The Doctor caught her as she stumbled, "Hello."

Her eyes snapped open, "Hi."

She was a few centimetres smaller, her eyes were a deep green, in fact, he was sure that they were the same shade as his and her hair, he pouted, "Your ginger!" it was longer than last time, around mid-back, straight and she had a full fringe straight across her forehead.

"Ha-ha!" she cheered, sticking her tongue out at him, before leaning over, grabbing her stomach in pain, "Ow!" and suddenly stood up straight again, grinning, "I'm ok now!"

He pulled her into a hug, thankfully she was ok before realising what he was doing and quickly pulled away, sheepish, but was even more surprised when she pulled him back into another hug.

Rory opened and closed his mouth, "If it wasn't for you. I'd have drowned."

Star pulled apart from her hug and went to give him a squeeze, "Well, I couldn't let that happen now, could I? And believe me. You're gonna get a lot more hugs."

"Good," he beamed, squeezing her back.

"Well, I think I need to see how good your hugs are." Amy remarked, she was so glad right now that Star was ok and that she had also told them what regeneration was otherwise, right now she and Rory would be very confused. Not that they still weren't, how often do you see someone you know change in front of your eyes and become someone new.

Star laughed and ran to give her a hug.

~.~

"I thought I was an excellent pirate." Amy remarked as she and Rory headed up the stairs from the console. "Goodnight Doctor. Night Star."

"Night-night!" Star grinned as she waved her new ginger hair in front of the Doctor who was pouting and whining and was just…jealous.

Oh! She loved the new her already. She could tell she would be a lot happier, a lot more playful and just...fun to be around, and she would make sure that happened.

"Goodnight, Amelia!" the Doctor called, moving Stars hair out of his face.

"You only call me Amelia when you're worried about me." Amy realised.

"I always worried about you."

"Mutual."

"Go to bed!" Star called.

Rory whispered something to Amy before they walked off.

The Doctor looked at the screen, Star peeking over his shoulder, to see the TARDIS still getting a confused scan on Amy. "Oh, Amelia." he sighed.

"Well, I need some new clothes," Star remarked, "And maybe some shoes." she walked off to the wardrobe as the Doctor smiled after her but it falter a bit as he thought that maybe...he couldn't help but shake the feeling that she wanted to die. She didn't seem at all bothered by the fact. He shook his head, that didn't matter, right now, she was happy and she was alive and still with him.

~.~

The Doctor sighed after not hearing from Star for a couple of hours, he admitted he was growing worried so he headed to the wardrobe to see what was taking so long, "Star?" he knocked in the door, "You alright?" he entered to see a large pile in clothes in he floor and Star no where in sight.

Star popped up out of the pile of clothes, "I'm ok!" she assured him. "What do you think?" she gestured to her new chosen outfit. A plain white blouse with a black bow around the collar, a dark purple skater skirt and teal boots with neon pink laces, a green corset over her blouse.

"Nice bow tie." he remarked.

She beamed, "Thanks! Bow ties are cool!" she readjusted it.


	5. Good night

The Doctor walked down the stairs in a white tux, a euphonium tucked under his arm, "River!" he shouted out the doors, as Star came skipping down the stairs wearing a short purple dress with a rainbow puffy skirt with silver straps crossing over her neck, it seemed at this regeneration seemed to love dressing up, "Careful!" the Doctor called to her as she hopped down the last step and she lost her footing slightly. It also seemed this her was a lot clumsier and uncoordinated than last time, "We'll see you later! Tell Marilyn she's too late, she'll have to use the biplane. Take care!" he headed to the console, not noticing Star waving to Amy who sat on the stairs.  
"Do you do this every night?" Amy asked.  
"Oh!" the Doctor spotted her, "Hello."  
"You're trying to conceal euphonium guiltily. Has that ever been attempted before?"  
"What?" he flushed at being caught out, "Oh this, oh yeah, it's just one of those um…euphoniums."  
"Ok…so is THIS what you do at night when we're sleeping? Have extra adventures?"  
"We don't sleep as much as you." Star reminded her, "We keep busy or else we'll die of boredom waiting for you and Rory to wake up."  
"Doing what?" Amy continued, "Actually tell me for once. You're my friend, my best friend, so tell me what it is you do."  
"Ok," the Doctor nodded, "We just helped out a possessed orchestra on a moon base, before that we prevented two supernovas, wrote a history of the Universe all in jokes, and did a bit of local work in Brixton. Lovely practice, very short staffed."

Star tilted her head, seeing Amy looked down to the floor, sad, "What's wrong?"  
"We're such tiny parts of your life aren't we?" she sighed, getting up and walking over to them, "All the friends you make just flicker in and out. You must hardly notice us."  
"Amy you are enormous parts of our lifes," the Doctor assured her, "And you are all I ever remember."  
"Speaking of which…" She got back to what she wanted to say to them, "My life doesn't make any sense."  
"We know."  
"That's what I've been trying to talk to you about."  
"We know."  
"Like…when I first met you I didn't have parents. I never had parents. And then you did…whatever it was you did…and rebooted the Universe and, suddenly, I have parents. And I've always had parents. And I remember both lives in my head, both of them, in my head, at the same time."  
"That's fine isn't it?" the Doctor frowned.  
"But it shouldn't be." Amy countered, "Why is it fine?"  
"Rory was a Roman for 2,000 years." Star pointed out.  
"He says he hardly remembers it."  
"But sometimes you'll catch him just staring…remembering…"

"There are things Amy, everyone's memory is a mess." The Doctor continued, "Life is a mess. Everyone's got memories of a holiday they've couldn't have been on, a party they never went to, or met someone for the first time and felt like they've known them all their lives. Time is being rewritten all around us every day. People think their memories are bad, but their memories are fine. The past is really like that."  
"That's ridiculous." Amy remarked.

"I know!" Star grinned.  
"Yeah, now you're starting to get it!" the Doctor smiled at her, "Put your hand here."  
"What is it?" Amy eyed it, wondering over.  
"TARDIS telepathic circuits."  
She placed her hand on the console, "What do I do?"  
"Nothing. Just relax." He looked at the monitor, "Your saddest ever memory was…at a fairground in 1994. Can you remember why?"  
"No." she shook her head, before frowning in thought, "Hang on did I…did I drop an ice cream? That can't be my saddest memory."  
"Remembering ice cream is always sad." Star stuck out her bottom lip as the TARDIS thumped.

"Did we just land?" Amy asked, "Where are we?"  
"What happened after you dropped the ice cream?" the Doctor asked her.  
"Nothing, I cried. No, no…hang on there was a lady…and she bought me another one."  
"Oh, good for her. What did she look like?"  
"She looked like she…she had a funny dress, a night dress, she had red hair. Doctor…I don't understand. Why are you doing this? What is the point?"  
"What did the nice lady say to you?" Star questioned.  
"Cheer up, have an ice cream." She replied.  
"Amy, time and space is never ever going to make any kind of sense." The Doctor admitted, "A long time ago you got the best possible advice on how to deal with that. So! I suggest you go and give it!" he opened the door to reveal a fairground.  
"Ok, ok, so I ask you a big important question about life and you're basically telling me to go and buy myself an ice cream."  
"No Amy," he put an arm on her shoulder, "I'm telling you to go and buy the three of us ice creams. I love fairgrounds."  
"I hate you." Amy muttered.  
"No, you don't. Do you get scared on ghost trains? I get a bit scared so is it ok if I hold your hand?"

"You can hold my hand." Star reassured him. "But first. We get the ice creams. Then we get changed and wake Rory up. And THEN we have fun at the fairground!"


	6. The Doctors wife

"…Then he finally listened to me that it wasn't the robot king after all, it was in fact the real one. Luckily I was able to re-attach the head as he attached it back on backwards" Star finished telling Rory the story in one breath as she sat cross-legged next to him as he sat on the jump seat and the Doctor wondered around the console.

Rory blinked at how different Star was now compared to her last body. She was a lot more…hyper, if that was the best way to phrase it. So far, she was a lot nicer but the Doctor had warned him that she had always had a temper and so he warned him to look out for it as she would probably still have it. He looked at Amy as she came down the stair, "Do you believe any of this stuff?"

"I was there." She remarked.

"Oh," the Doctor jumped as a small beeping alarm went off, "it's the warning lights. Im getting rid of those, they never stop!" he slapped the console.

Rory walked over to Amy and spoke quietly to her.

There was a knocking at the doors and they all looked over.

"What was that?" Amy asked as she and Rory walked over.

"The door knocked," Star blinked, walking towards them.

"Right." Rory nodded slowly, "We are in deep space."

"Very, very deep." The Doctor agreed as the knocking continued, "And somebody's knocking."

Star knocked back on the door, "Do you want to build a snowman?" she asked in a sing-song tone.

"Now." The Doctor sighed, "Quote Disney now!"

"Well why not!" she pouted, "I saw my chance and I took it!"

She opened the door and grinned seeing a small box floating there, lit from inside, "Oh, you beauty!" she reached out to grab it but it whizzed past and into the TARDIS, zooming to the TARDIS and hitting the Doctor in the chest. He held it between his hands.

"A box?" Rory frowned.

"What is it?" Amy eyed it.

"We've got mail!" he beamed as Star skipped over, "Time Lord emergency messaging system. In an emergency, we'd wrap up thoughts in psychic containers and send them though time and space. Anyway, there's a Time Lords out there, and it's one of the good ones!"

"You said there were no other Time Lords left." Rory reminded him.

"There are no Time Lords left in the universe, but the universe isn't where we're going!" he threw the box to Amy. "See that snake?" he pointed at it."

"The Corsair!" Star breathed.

"Fantastic bloke. He had that snake as a tattoo in every regeneration. Didn't feel like himself without the tattoo. Or herself, a couple of times. Ooh, she was a bad girl."

"He was a nice man." Star smiled, "he didn't tell me off for sneaking out of the Academy."

"You snuck out?" the Doctor looked at her.

"I got bored." She shrugged.

"And you didn't get caught?"

"He caught me."

He stared at his daughter in amazement before the TARDIS sparked and shook, almost knocking him to the floor.

"Whoa!" Rory hung on, "What's happening?"

"We're leaving the universe!" Star exclaimed, excited as she and the Doctor rushed around the console.

"How can you leave the universe?" Amy shook her head.

"With enormous difficulty!"

"Right now we're burning up TARDIS rooms to give us some welly." The Doctor twisted some knobs and presses some buttons, "Goodbye, swimming pool. Bye scullery. Sayonara. Squash court 7. Movie room."

"No!" Star pouted, "Not the movie room!"

"We'll get another one when we come back." He promised.

"Why can't you get rid of your room?!"

"I need my room!"

"I need the movie room!"

"You can get a new one!"

"You can get a new room!"

"Well it's too late now!"

She huffed and sat in the jump seat, sulking away, making the Doctor pilot alone.

The TARDIS stopped with a jolt.

"Ok." Amy breathed, "Where are we?"

"Outside the universe." The Doctor beamed, "where we've never, ever been." She went over to Star and nudged her, "Yeah? Somewhere new."

She looked up at him, "I want a new movie room."

"I promise you'll get one 10 times better." He crossed his hearts.

"Good."

The power winded down and the lights dimmed.

"Is that meant to happen?" Rory frowned.

"It's the power," the Doctor gasped, "It's draining the power," he tried to pull a lever but nothing happened, "Everything's draining!"

"But it can't." Star argued, "That's impossible!"

"What is that?" Rory asked.

"It's as if the matrix, the soul of the TARIDS has just vanished." the Doctor said.

"Where would it go?" Star wondered, "Come on!" she headed out the doors, the Doctor behind her, Amy and Rory following. They slowly stepped out to stand in a large junkyard of some sort.

"So what kind of trouble's your friend in?" Amy asked.

"He was in a bind, a bit of a pickle, sort of distress." The Doctor mumbled, looking around.

"Aw, you can't just say you don't know."

"But what is this?" Rory frowned, "This scrap yard at the end of the universe?"

"Not end of, outside of." Star corrected.

"How can we be outside the universe? The universe is everything."

The Doctor put his arm around Rory's shoulders, "Imagine a great big bubble with one of those tiny little bubbles on the outside."

"Ok."

"Well, forget it," Star told him, "It's nothing like that." she put a hand in the side of the TARDIS, "She's completely drained."

"So we're in a tiny bubble universe, sticking to the side of the bigger bubble universe?" Amy confirmed.

"Yes," The Doctor nodded as Star said, "No."

"But if it helps..." the Doctor continued.

"Still no." Star laughed.

"This place is full of rift energy. She'll probably refuel just by being here. Now this place, what do you thing. Eh?" he threw some dirt into the air, "Gravity's almost Earth-normal, airs breathable, but it smells like..."

"Armpits," Amy supplied.

"Armpits." he nodded.

"Where did this stuff come from?" Rory wondered.

"There's a rift. Now and then, stuff gets sucked through it. Not a bubble, a plug hole. The universe has a plug hole and we've fallen down it."

"Thief, thief!" someone shouted in the distance, "You're my thief!" they looked to see woman with big hair in a blue Victorian styled dress, running towards them, pointing at the Doctor. An older man and woman chased her, wearing mismatched clothes.

"She's dangerous!" the older woman warned, "Guard yourself!"

"Look at you!" the shouting woman grabbed the Doctors shoulders, "Goodbye! No, not goodbye, what's the other one?" she kissed him quickly and pulled away.

"Watch out!" the older man called as he and the older woman pulled the woman back, "Careful, keep back from her!" the Doctor wiped his mouth and ran a hand through his hair. "Welcome strangers, lovely. Sorry about the mad person."

"Why am I a thief? What have I stolen?" the Doctor asked, eyeing the woman.

"Me," she stated, "You're going to steal me. No, you have stolen me. You are stealing me. Tenses are difficult, aren't they?" she gasped and ran to Star, hugging her, "You're my maddy!"

"What? Im not maddy," Star shook her head, trying to pull away. She loved hugs but when hugging a random person who was calling her, her maddy; it was quite uncomfortable and odd.

"Yes you are!" she insisted, "You're my maddy!"

"Oh, we are sorry, my doves." the older woman apologised, "She's of her head. They call me Auntie." she shook the Doctor hand.

"I'm Uncle," the older man added, "I'm everybody's uncle. Just keep back from this one, she bites!"

"Do I?" the woman grinned, "Excellent." she pulled the Doctor face down and bit his neck.

"Ow!" he cried as everyone tried to pull the woman back, "No, ow, ow!"

"Oh, biting's excellent!" The woman cheered, as the Doctor rubbed his neck, "It's like kissing, only there's a winner!"

"Sorry, she's doolally." Uncle told them.

"No, I'm not doolally. I'm...I'm...it's in the tip of my tongue. I've just had a new idea about kissing. Come here, you!" she lunged at the Doctor who ran behind Stat, using her as a protective shield.

"No!" Auntie pulled her back, "Idris no!"

"Ooh, but now you're angry," the woman, Idris, tilted her head, "No, you're not. You will be angry. The little boxes will make you both angry."

"Sorry?" the Doctor frowned, stepping forwards, "The little what? Boxes?"

She laughed, grabbing his chin, "Your chin is hilarious!" she turned to Rory, "It means the smell of dust after rain."

"What does?" Rory shook his head at her.

"Petrichor."

"But I didn't ask."

"Not yet, but you will."

"No, no Idris," Auntie pulled her back again, "You should have a rest."

"Right, yes. Good idea. I'll see if there's an off switch," she fell forwards in a faint as Star managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Is that it?" Uncle asked, "She dead now? So sad."

"No she's still breathing," Rory called as he took her from Star and checked her over.

"Nephew," Uncle turned to a green-eyed Ood, "Take somewhere she can not bite people."

"Oh, hello." The Doctor smiled at the Ood.

Amy jumped seeing it, "What is that?"

"It's just an Odd." Star reassured her.

"Oods are good." The Doctor added, "Love an Ood." He walked over to it, "Hello, Ood. Can't you talk? Oh, I see, its damaged, may I?" he gestured to its translator and opened it.

Star slapped his hand away, "You'd somehow turn it into a bomb. Let me." He gestured for her to step forwards, "It might be the wrong frequency…" She mumbled.

"Nephew was broken when he came here." Auntie told them, "Why, he was half dead. House repaired him. House repaired all of us."

Star closed the Oods translator and voices filled the air around them, "If you are receiving this message, please help me. Send a signal to the High Council of the Time Lords on Gallifrey. Help! Im still alive! I don't know where I am. Im on some rock-like planet."

Nephew switched the translator off.

"What was that?" Rory frowned, pointing at the Ood, "Was that him?"

"No, no, it's picking up something else." The Doctor breathed as he and Star looked shocked.

"But that's…" she shook her head, "That's impossible."

"Who else is here?" the Doctor rounded on Auntie and Uncle. "Tell us. Show us! Show us!"

"Just what you see." Auntie gestured to them all, "It's just the four of us, and the House. Nephew, will you take Idris somewhere safe where she can't hurt nobody?"

Nephew picked Idris up and took her away.

"The House?" Star frowned, "What's the House?"

"House is all around you, my sweets. You are standing on him." Uncle jumped on the spot, "This is the House. This world. Would you like to meet him?"

"Meet him?!" Rory blinked.

"We'd love to." The Doctor answered.

"This way." Uncle began walking off with Auntie, "Come, please. Come."

"What's wrong?" Amy asked the Time Lords, "What were those voices?"

"Time Lords." Star breathed, "It's not just the Corsair."

"Somewhere close by there are lots and lots of… Time Lords." The Doctor swallowed.

He took Stars hand and walked off after Auntie and Uncle. Amy and Rory behind them.

~.~

They followed Auntie and Uncle to a cavern with a grate with a glowing green light beneath it. He stood next to it and gestured them over, "Come, come, come, you can see house and he can look at you."

Star exchanged a look with the Doctor before they both walked over and peered down the grate.

"I see," the Doctor nodded slowly, "This asteroid is sentient."

"We walk on his back," Auntie added, "Breathe his air, eat his food..."

"Smell its armpits." Amy finished quietly.

"And do my will," Auntie and Uncle spoke in union, a voice speaking through them, "You are most welcome travellers." the Doctor looked up, alarmed as Star frowned.

"Doctor...Star..." Amy began, hesitant, "That voice, that's the asteroid talking?"

"Yes, so you're like uh..." the Doctor stepped back from the grate as Star skipped back to the Ponds. "Sea urchin, hard outer surface, that's the planet we're walking on. Big squashing oogly thing inside, that's you?"

"That is correct, Time Lord." House answered.

"So, you've met Time Lords before?" Star frowned.

"Many travellers have come through the rift. Like Auntie and Uncle and Nephew. I repair them when they break."

"So there was Time Lords here then?" she asked, trying not to get her hopes up just to have them fall away.

"Not anymore, but there have been many TARDISes on my back in days gone by."

"Well, there won't be anymore after us." the Doctor told House, stepping down back to the trio, "Last Time Lords. Last TARDIS."

A pit formed in Stars stomach. Even see knew it wasn't a great idea to tell them it was the TARDIS. If Winston Churchill tried to get his hands in it, who know who else would, many have tried and failed to get their hands on the TARDIS.

"A pity. Your people were so kind. Be here in safety, Doctor. Star. Rest, feed, if you will."

Auntie and Uncle relaxed coming out of Houses control.

"We're not actually gonna stay here are we?" Rory asked quietly.

"Well, it seems like a friendly planet," the Doctor shrugged, "Literally."

Star turned to Auntie and Uncle, "Are we allowed to look sound a bit? Love exploring."

"You can look all you want," Auntie smiled, cupping Amy's face in her mismatched hands, "Go, look. House loves you."

The Doctor clapped, covering up that he noticed her hands, "Come on then gang, we're just going to...see the sights."

~.~

Star stopped and frowned swearing she heard someone call out, "Thief!" and "Maddy!"

It seemed the Doctor hear it too as he shushed Amy and Rory to be quiet.

"So as soon as the TARDIS has refuelled, we go, yeah?" Rory asked.

"No," the Doctor shook his head, "There are Time Lords here. We heard them and they need us."

"You told me about your people and you to me what you did..." Amy hesitated knowing it was a touchy subject for both Time Lords.

"Yes, yes, but if they're like the Corsair they're good ones and we can save them."

"And tell them you both were responsible for the destruction of all the others?"

"No, that I was the destruction. I can explain. Tell them why I had to."

"We were BOTH responsible." Star corrected, _'You're not alone in this!'_ she took his hand and squeezed it as they walked off.

The Doctor smiled sadly at her. Knowing that she blamed herself for the planets destruction because she was a survivor, she had survivors' guilt.

"You want to be forgiven." Amy cut him out of his thoughts.

The Doctor fell silent so Star answered for him, "Don't we all?"

Amy nodded at that, "What do you need from me?"

The Doctor patted his jacket, "My sonic screwdriver. I left it in the TARDIS. It's in my jacket."

"You're wearing your jacket," Rory pointed out.

"My other one".

"You have two of those?"

"Have you seen his bow tie collection?" Star countered.

"Bow ties are cool," the Doctor defended, straightening his up.

"Yes they are!" Star grinned, mimicking him and straightening her tie.

"I'll get it," Amy sighed, "but Doctor, listen to me, don't get emotional because that's when you make mistakes."

The Doctor mock-saluted, "Yes boss."

"I'll call you from the TARDIS," she tossed him her phone, "Rory look after them." she headed back to the TARDIS.

Rory look hesitant to leave her alone.

"Rory look after her." Star called to him.

He smile gracefully and ran off, leaving the Time Lords alone.

~.~

A few minutes later Amy's phone rang in the Doctors pocket, he pulled it out and answered it.

"Hey," Amy called, "We're here, screwdrivers in your pocket yeah?"

Star grabbed the sonic from his pocket and he grinned at her, "Yeah, it's around somewhere. Have a good look."

Star turned to sonic on and they could hear a lock click before the Doctor ended the call.

They ran through the tunnels, following their senses.

"Come on!" the Doctor muttered, "Where are you? Now where are you all? Where are you?"

"Just...just calm down." Star breathed, closing her eyes to get a better sense of them. Her eyes snapped open and she frowned, pulling a curtain back to reveal a small alcove.

"Well, they can't all be in here." he spotted a cabinet in the wall and he pulled it open...

...And their hearts sank seeing around 10 of the glowing distress boxes. All of them with voices crying out for help.

The Doctor looked back as Auntie and Uncle approached behind them. Star staring sadly at the boxes, trying to identify any of them.

"Just admiring your Time Lord distress signal collection," the Doctor swallowed as he realised the horrible truth. Their hope, dead. There really was no more Time Lords, "Nice job. Brilliant job. Really through we had some friends here...but this is what the Ood translator picked up, cries for help from the long dead..." he turned to them, "How many Time Lords have you lured here the way your lured us? And what happened to them all!"

"House." Auntie began, "House is kind. And he is wise..."

"House repairs you when you break!" he advanced dangerously in them, "But how does he mend you?" he scanned them with the sonic, looking at Uncle, "You've got the eyes of a 20 year old."

Uncle gave a small smile that looked more like a grimace, "Thank you."

"No, no, I mean it. Literally, your eyes are 30 years younger than the rest of you," he ripped of Uncles hat revealing, "Your ears don't match, your right arm is two inches longer than you left, and goes your dancing, cause you've got two left feet. Patchwork people. You've been repaired and patched up do often. I doubt there's anything left of what used to be you." he put the sonic away and grabbed Auntie bigger arm, "I had an umbrella like you once."

"Oh, now, it's been...it's been a great arm for me this..." she held up the arm and the Doctor noticed the snake tattoo near the wrist.

"Corsair..." he breathed.

"He was a strapping big bloke, wasn't he Uncle?"

"Big fellow," Uncle nodded his agreement.

"I got the arm. And um, Uncle got the spine and kidneys."

"Kidneys." he sneered, "You gave us hope and then you took it away. That's enough to make anyone dangerous. God knows what it will do to me!"

"Run!" Star barked at them, her eyes glowing red.

Auntie ran off as Uncle backed away, grinning, "Poor old Time Lords. Too late. House is too clever." he scampered off.

The Doctor and Star stood glaring after them.

The phone went of a moment later, "No sonic screwdriver," Amy called, irritation in her voice, "Also the doors seem to have locked behind us. Rory thinks there's a perfectly innocent explanation but I think you lied to us..."

"Time Lord stuff," he replied, "Needed you out of the way."

"What? We're not good enough for your smart new friend?"

"'The boxes will make us angry,'" Star recited quietly, "How could she know?" she looked up at the Doctor.

"Doctor, what's she talking about?" Amy huffed.

"Say put," the Doctor ordered her, "Stay exactly where you are," he and Star ran off, ending the call.

~.~

They ran into a room, spotting Idris sitting in a large cell, her eyes closed.

"How did you know about the boxes?" the Doctor demanded, "You said they'd make us angry. How did you know?"

"Ah," Idris smiled, "It's my thief and maddy."

"Who are you?"

Her eyes snapped open, "It's about time."

"Who are you?" he repeated.

"Do you not know me?" she stood and walked to the cage's bars, "Just because they put me in here?"

"They said you were dangerous."

"Not the cage, stupid. In here." She gestured to her head, "they put me in here. Im the…oh, what do you call me? We travel. I go..." she imitated the wheezing of the TARDIS.

"The TARDIS?" Star blinked.

"Time and relative dimension in space. Yes, that's it. Names are funny. It's me! I'm the TARDIS."

"No. you're not!" the Doctor shook his head, "You're a bitey, mad lady. The TARDIS is up and downy stuff in a big blue box."

"Yes, that's me. A type 40 TARDIS. I was already a museum piece, when you were young, and the first time you touched my console you said…"

"I said you were the most beautiful thing I had ever know." The Doctor breathed.

She turned to Star, "and you said…"

"I said you were beautiful. A true beauty." Star finished, thinking back to when she saw her for the first time, she had gone with her two best friends for one's 100th birthday. It was the first TARDIS she had seen the inside of, she really was beautiful.

"And then you stole me," Idris continued, smiling, "And I stole you." she looked at Star, "I was so sad when he left you behind."

"I borrowed you." the Doctor corrected.

"Borrowing implies the eventual intention to return the thing that was taken. What makes you think I would ever give you back?"

"You're the TARDIS?"

"Yes."

"My TARDIS?" Star cleared her throat and he winced, expecting a slap, but none came. He looked at her but she just looked at him expecting him to correct himself, "OUR TARDIS?"

"My Doctor. My Star. Oh! We have reached the point in the conversation where you open the lock."

The Doctor soniced the lock and Idris stepped out, studying their faces, "Are all people like this?"

"Like what?" Star frowned.

"So much bigger on the inside? Im…oh, what is that word? It's so big, so complicated. It's so sad."

"But why?" the Doctor wondered, "Why pull the living soul from a TARDIS and pop it in a tiny human head? What does it want you for?"

"It doesn't want me." She sniffed his jacket.

"How do you know?"

"House eats TARDISes."

"House does what?" Star blinked, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know." She shrugged, "it's something I heard him say." She nodded to the Doctor.

"When?" he frowned.

"In the future."

"House eats TARDISes?"

"There you go." She put a finger on his lips, "What are fish fingers?"

"When do I say that?" he asked, muffled.

"Any second."

"Of course! House feeds on rift energy and TARDISes are bursting with it. And not raw. All lovely and cooked, processed foods…"

"Mmm…fish fingers." Star smiled, cutting him off.

"Do fish have fingers?" Idris questioned.

"But...but…but you can't eat a TARDIS. It would destroy you…unless…"

"Unless you deleted the TARDIS matrix first."

"So it deleted you." the Doctor chuckled.

"But House just can't delete a TARDIS consciousness, that would blow a hole in the universe. He pulls out the matrix; stick it in a living receptacle and feeds off the remaining Artron energy. You were about to say all that. I don't suppose you have to now."

"We sent Amy and Rory in there!" Star cried, "They'll be eaten."

The Doctor quickly pulled out the phone, "Amy! Amy! Rory, get the hell out of there!" they ran through the tunnels and back to the TARDIS.

"Doctor, something's wrong." Amy replied.

"It's House. He's after the TARDIS. Just get out, both of you!" Star shouted to them.

"We can't. You locked the door, remember?"

"But we've unlocked it." The Doctor insisted.

"You stupid well haven't!" they heard the cloister bell ring, as they came insight of the TARDIS and saw the inside going dark, "Doctor, I don't like this."

The Doctor tried to sonic the door open as Star tried snapping her fingers, nothing worked.

"Open!" Star yelled, trying to open them by force, "Open!"

"Doctor!" Amy shouted, "Star!"

"Amy! Rory!" the Doctor also pounded on the doors.

The TARDIS began to dematerialised, forcing them back.

"Rory!" Star screamed. "Amy!"

The Doctor tried to call Amy, "Amy? Amy, can you hear me?" he turned it off, hearing only static, "ok. Right. I don't…I really don't know what to do…" he smiled to himself, "That's a new feeling."

"Come on!" Star grabbed his arm and they ran off back the way they came.

~.~

"It's gone!" the Doctor shouted as they ran back into the room where Idris was sitting. Auntie and Uncle in the back.

"Eaten?" She looked up in alarm.

"No it left. Not eaten, hi-jacked. But why?"

"It's time for us both to go, and keep together." Auntie said as she and Uncle sat down.

"What do you mean go?" Star asked them, "Where are you going?"

"Well, we're dying, my loves. It's time for Auntie and Uncle to pop off."

"Im against it." Uncle remarked.

"It's your fault, isn't it, sweets? Cos you told House it was the last TARDIS. House can't feed on them if there's none more coming, can he?"

"So now he's off to your universe to find more TARDISes."

"It wont." The Doctor stated.

"Oh, it will think of something." Auntie waved him off before falling over with a groan. The Doctor ran to check for a pulse.

"Actually, I feel fine." Uncle stood up only to fall to the ground aswell.

"You're not dead. You can't just die!" the Doctor shouted.

"We need to go where I landed, Doctor, Star." Idris told them, urgently, "Quickly."

"Why?" Star shook her head.

"Because we are there in 3 minutes. We need to go now!" she began running before stopping in pain, "Ow! Roughly, how long do these bodies last?"

The Doctor quickly scanned her with the sonic, "you're dying."

"Yes, of course im dying," she grabbed the sonic from him, "I don't belong in a flesh body. I could blow the casing in no time. No, stop, don't get emotional. That's what the orangey girl says. You're the Doctor focus." She held the sonic out for him.

"On what? How? Im a madman with a box, without a box!" he took the sonic back, "im stuck down the plughole at the end of the universe on a stupid old junkyard!"

"2 things!" Star interrupted, "1: im a mad girl and I don't need a box. 2: it's not just a junkyard, it's a TARDIS junkyard!"

"Oh!" the Doctor blinked realising that, "come on." He began running off before stopping and turning to Idris, "Ooh, sorry, do you have a name?"

"700 years, finally he asks." Idris commented to Star, who giggled.

"But what do I call you?"

"I think you can call me…Sexy." She smirked, she turned to Star, "And you can call me Old Girl."

"I already do." She laughed.

"Only when we're alone." The Doctor flushed.

"We are alone." Star pointed out.

"Come on then, Sexy." He grabbed her hand and Star's in his other and ran off.

The Doctor scanned the junkyard as they ran to it, climbing on a hill looking down at the collection.

"Valley of half-eaten TARDISes." Star breathed.

"Are you thinking what im thinking?" the Doctor grinned.

"Im thinking that all of my sisters are dead." Idris remarked, "That they were devoured, and that we are looking at their corpses."

"Ah. Sorry. No, I wasn't thinking that."

"No. You were thinking you could build a working TARDIS console out of broken remnants of a hundred different models. And you don't care that it's impossible."

"It's not impossible as long as we are alive."

"Besides Rory and Amy need us," Star added.

"We're gonna build a TARDIS." They ran into the valley.

"You're completely mad." Idris called after them.

"Thank goodness." Star grinned, "Otherwise this'd probably never work."

~.~

Idris stood in the shell of the console they had managed to build, examining a piece of equipment, "Bond the tube directly into the Tachyon Diverter." She called.

"Yes, yes. I have actually rebuilt a TARDIS before, you know." The Doctor strained as he dragged a piece of wall by a rope, "I know what im doing."

"You're like a 9 year old trying to rebuild a motorbike in his bedroom. And you never read the instructions."

"I always read the instructions!"

"There's a sign on my front door. You have been walking past it for 700 years. What does it say?"

"Its says…" Star began but Idris put a hand over her mouth, silencing her.

"I want to hear this." She smirked.

"That's not instructions!" he defended.

"There's an instruction at the bottom. What does it say?"

"Pull to open."

"Yes, and what do you do?"

"I push!"

"Every single time. 700 years. Police Box doors open out the way."

The Doctor threw the rope down and walked over, "I think I've earned the right to open my front doors any way I want!"

"Your front doors?" she raised her eyebrows as Star watched, highly amused, "Have you any idea how childish that sounds?"

He turned away muttering, "You are not my mother!"

"And you are not my child!"

He turned back to her, "You know, since we're talking with mouths, not really an opportunity that comes along very often, I just want to say, you know, you," he pointed at her, "Have never been very reliable."

"And you have?"

"You didn't always take me where I wanted to go." He walked away again.

"No, but I always took you where you needed to go."

"Ooh!" Star jumped up, "look at us! Talking!" she cheered, "how amazing would it be if we could always talk? Even when you're inside the box?"

"You know im not constructed that way," she answered, "I exist across all space and time, and you both talk and run around and bring home strays."

"Hey!" she pointed at her, "He brings the strays." She and the Doctor rushed to Idris's side as she fell, and caught her just in time.

"You ok?" the Doctor asked her, deeply concerned.

"One of the kidneys has already failed," she told them, "It doesn't matter. We need to finished assembling the console."

"Using a console without a proper shell. It's not going to be safe."

"This body has about 18 minutes left to live. The universe we're in will reach absolute zero in 3 hours. Safe is relative."

Star went to levitate the wall the Doctor had been dragging as he helped Idris up, "Hadn't we best get a move on, old girl?" she grinned.

"Hold on," the Doctor frowned, "If you could do that, why didn't you? I put all that strain in dragging all the heavy stuff while you sat and searched through wires!"

"You could have asked." She shrugged.

He pointed a playful warning finger at her before rushing off to get a time rotor.

"Why do you call me maddy?" Star asked after a few minutes working in silence.

"Because you are mad." She told her simply. "My maddy," she tilted her head to the side, "you like the mad hatter."

Star looked down at what she was wearing; now she thought about it her style was like the mad hatters.

They looked up to see the Doctor carrying the time rotor, Star ran over to help carry it.

"You'll need to install the time rotor," Idris called to them.

"How is this going to make it though the rift?" the Doctor asked, as they slipped the rotor into place, "We're almost there," they double checked everything was in place, "Thrust diffuser. Er, Retro scope. Blue…thingy."

"Do you wonder why I chose you all those years ago?" Idris asked as she sifted through the junk.

"I chose you. You were unlocked."

"Of course I was. I wanted to see the universe, so I stole a Time Lord and I ran away. And you were the only one's mad enough."

"Right," the Doctor clapped, joining Idris, "perfect. Look at that. What could possibly go wrong?"

A piece fell off.

"That's fine that always happens. No! Hang on! Wait!" he grabbed three velvet ropes, handing each to the girls and they attached them to the console. "Right, ok, let's go. Follow that TARDIS!"

The Doctor and Star typed a few commands as Idris caught sight of herself in the mirror and screwed up her face as they worked.

The console power down.

"It can't hold the charge," Star sighed, "we can't even start it."

"There's no power!" the Doctor glared at the console, before spotting Idris looking in the mirror, he put his hand over it, "We've got nothing!"

"Oh, my beautiful idiots!" Idris smiled, "You have what you've always had, you've got me." she kissed her fingers, her eyes glowing gold with the power of the vortex, before she tapped the rotor, powering it up.

They grinned as the familiar wheezing noise sounded as a golden circle of energy surrounded them and they dematerialised.

They flew through the universe, the golden shield around them.

"Woo-hoo!" Star cheered.

"We've locked onto them!" Idris shouted, "They'll have to lower the shields when I'm close enough to phase inside."

"Star, can you contact Amy or Rory?" the Doctor asked.

"Tell them to go to the old control room," Idris said.

She nodded and closed her eyes, focussing, _'Rory!'_ she cheered_, 'Your ok. You have to get to the old control room.'_

_'How?'_ he replied.

_'Oh.'_ she blinked, _'Hold on,'_ she snapped her eyes open and turned to Idris, "How do you get there?"

Idris rolled her eyes and used the console to telepathically message the boy herself, "Hello pretty. I'm putting the route to the old console in your head. When you get their use the purple slider in the nearest panel to lower the shields."

"Pretty one." the Doctor scoffed.

"You'll have about 12 seconds before the room goes into phase with the invading matrix. I'll send you the passkey when you get there." she took her hands of the rotor, ending the transmission.

_'Good luck!'_ Star finished.

"You know there aren't any old control rooms," the Doctor remarked, "They were all deleted or remodelled."

"I archive them." Idris replied, "For neatness. I've got about 30 now."

"But I've only changed the desktop, about a dozen times?"

"So far, yes."

"You can't archive something that hasn't happen yet!"

"You can't!"

"Honestly daddy," Star shook her head at him, "She's an eleven-dimensional being, are you seriously doubting her?"

"Keep going!" the Doctor edged her on, "You're doing it, you sexy thing!"

"See, you DO call me that." Idris laughed, "Is it my name?"

"You bet it's your name!"

She put her hands back on the console sending the words 'crimson', 'eleven, 'delight', 'Petrichor,' before she stumbled back.

"They did it!" Star cheered, seeing the readings, "Shields are down!"

"Star..." the Doctor began.

"On it," She called, closing her eyes,_ 'Rory! You need to get out of the way or you'll be atomised.'_

_'Where are you coming through?_' he asked.

_'No idea,'_ she admitted to him.

_'Oh, great. Thanks.'_

_'Sorry.'_

"It's not going to hold!" Idris cried.

The Doctor pulled a lever and the appeared inside the previous console room, on the ramp.

"Doctor!" Amy smiled, "Star!" she ran to hug them.

"You're ok!" Star smiled in relief, hugging the Ponds.

"Not good." Idris groaned as she tried to stand, "Not good at all..." they rushed over to help her sit down, "How do you walk around in these things?"

"Were not quite there yet...just hold on." the Doctor told her, "Amy, Rory, this is...well...she's our TARDIS. Except she's a woman. She's a woman and she's our TARDIS."

"She's the TARDIS?" Amy pointed at her, wide-eyed.

"And she's a woman. She's a woman and she's the TARDIS."

"Did you wish really hard?"

"Shut up, not like that!" she turned to Star as she burst into a fit of giggled, "You shut up too!"

Star continued to giggle as she helped Idris to stand, "Hello. I'm...Sexy."

"Still, shut up!" the Doctor flushed.

"Environment has been breached," House called around them, "Nephew kill them all..."

They looked sound for the Ood.

"Where's Nephew?" Rory frowned.

"He was standing where you materialised." Amy pointed.

"Ah, well, he must have been redistributed," the Doctor rubbed the back of his neck.

"Meaning what?" Rory eyed him.

"You're breathing him," Star grimaced.

"Eurgh!" Amy gagged as she and Rory covered their mouths.

"Another Ood I failed to save," the Doctor muttered.

"Doctor, Star, I did not expect you," House commented.

"Well, that's us all over, isn't it?" the Doctor clapped his hands, "Lovely old unexpected us."

"The big question is now you're here...how to dispose of you. I could play with gravity..." they fell to the fall, struggling to get up, they jumped to their feet when it suddenly stopped, Idris collapsed as Star caught her quickly as Rory came over to help, "or I could evacuate the air from this room and watch you choke," they gasped for breathed as the air was sucked from the room.

"You really don't want to do that!" the Doctor panted.

House returned the air and they all too deep breathed, "Why shouldn't I just kill you now?"

"Because then we won't be able to help you! Listen to your engines. Just listen to them. You don't have the thrust and you know it. We're your only hope for getting outbid your little bubble, through the rift and into our inverse. And ours is the one with the food in! You just have to promise not to kill us. That's all, just promise."

"You can't be serious." Amy gaped.

"I'm very serious. I'm sure it's an entity of its word."

"Dad!" Star called, tears in her voice, "She's burning up!"

"She's asking for water." Rory added.

"Just hang on, old girl. Please, just a little longer."

The Doctor knelt next to her, taking her hand and stroking her face, "Not long now. It'll be over soon."

"I always liked it when you called me...old girl." Idris rasped out.

"You want me to give my word?" House cut them off, "Easy. I promise."

"Fine." the Doctor stood back up, leaving Star hold Idris hand, offering all the comfort she could, "Ok. I trust you. Just delete, ooh, 30% of the TARDIS rooms, you'll free up thrust enough to make it though."

"Activate sub-routine Sigma 9." Star called.

"Why would you tell me this?" House asked.

"Because we want to get back to our universe a badly as you."

"And we're nice." the Doctor finished.

"Yes. I can delete room..." House remarked, "And I can also rid myself of vermin, if I delete this room first. Thank you Doctor, Star. That was very helpful. Goodbye Time Lords. Goodbye little humans. Goodbye Idris."

A bright light filled the room...

~.~

...and the group appeared back in the main console room, in the same positions as they were.

"Yes, you could do that," the Doctor smirked, "But it just won't work. Hard wired fail-safe. Living things from rooms that are deleted are automatically deposited in the main control room."

"But thanks for the lift!" Star smiled innocently.

"We are in your universe now." House called, "Why should it matter to me which room you die? I can kill you just as easily here as anywhere. Fear me. I've killed hundreds of Time Lords."

"Fear us." Star countered, "We've killed them all." she turned to Idris as she whispered to Rory.

"I don't understand," Rory shook his head at her, "There isn't a forest in here."

"Yeah, you're right," the Doctor agreed with House, "You've completely won. Oh you can kill is in oodles of really inventive ways, but before you do kill us allow me, my daughter and our friend Amy and Rory to congratulate you in being an absolutely worthy opponent."

"Congratulations." Star forced a smile as the Doctor began clapping and forced Amy too as well.

"Yep, you've defeated us. Me, my daughter, our lovely friends here and last but definitely not least the TARDIS matrix herself, a living consciousness you ripped out of this very control room and locked up into a human body and look at her!"

"Doctor, she's not breathing!" Rory called urgently.

"Enough!" House shouted, "That is enough."

"No. It's never enough." the Doctor stated, "You forced the TARDIS into a body so she'd burn out safely a very long way away form this control room. A flesh body can't hold the TARDIS matrix and live. Look at her body. House."

"And you think I should mourn her."

"No." Star stood up and glared, "You should be very VERY careful about what you let back into this control room."

Idris opened her mouth and the vortex energy flew out of her.

"You took her from her home." the Doctor continued.

"But now she's back and she's free!"

The energy streamed through the room, changing the green light back to its golden light.

"No!" House shouted, "Stop this! Ow! Stop this now!"

"Look at her go!" Star grinned, "Bigger on the inside! You see, House?"

"Make it stop!"

"That's your problem!" the Doctor chuckled, "Size of a planet, but inside you're just so small!"

"Make it stop!"

"Finish him off, old girl!" Star smirked.

House moaned and yelled as the TARDIS took her home back. Idris's body disappeared.

"Doctor!" Idris called, "Star? Are you there?" they turned to see a projection of her body glowing from console, "It's so very dark in here."

"We're here." the Doctor and Star walked over.

"I've been looking for a word. A big, complicated word, but so sad. I've found it now."

"What word?" Star whispered.

"Alive. I'm alive!"

"Alive isn't sad."

Rory held Amy close as they watched for the other side of the console, giving them a bit of privacy.

"It's sad when its over," she continued, "I'll always be here. But this is when we talked and now even that has come to an end. There's something I didn't get to say to you."

"Goodbye?" the Doctor guessed.

"No, I just wanted to say…hello. Hello Doctor. Hello Star. It's so very, very nice to meet you."

"Please! We don't want you to. Please!"

They were forced to step back as the projection faded with the familiar wheezing and a bright light. "I love you." They faintly heard Idris.

The Doctor pulled Star into a hug, comforting each other and sharing their pain.

~.~

Star sat in the harness under the console, swinging slightly as she worked on some wires, the Doctor standing over her. Amy and Rory watching them from above.

"How's it going under there?" Rory called down.

"Just putting a firewall around the matrix," Star called back, "Almost done."

"Are you going to make her talk again?" Amy asked.

"Can't." the Doctor said.

"Why not?" Rory frowned.

"Spacey-wacey, isn't it?" Amy guessed.

"Well actually it's because the Time lords discovered that if you take an eleventh-dimensional matrix and fold it into a mechanical then…" he began to explain when Rory touched two wires together.

Star looked up and glared at the Doctor, "its spacey-wacey."

He held his hands up and pointed at Rory, who grinned sheepishly, "sorry." He cleared his throat, "At the end, she was talking she kept repeating something, I don't know what it meant."

"The only water in the forest is the river." Star recited.

Rory nodded, "she said we'd need to know that someday. It doesn't make sense, does it?"

"Not yet," the Doctor agreed and then saw Rory's expression, "You ok?"

"No." he admitted, "I watched her die. I shouldn't let it get to me, but it still does. Im a nurse." Amy came and sat at the bottom of the stairs.

"See that's called being alive," Star smiled at him, "best thing there is. Being alive right now, that's all that counts." she went back to the wires, "Nearly finished. Give me 2 minutes."

"Then we're off." The Doctor remarked, "The Eye of Orion is restful, if you like restful. I can never really get the hang of restful."

"What do you think old girl? Where next?"

"Look at you three." Amy smiled sadly, "it's always the three of you, isn't it? Long after the rest of us have gone. You pair and your box, off to see the universe."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," the Doctor looked at them, "but honestly, it's the best thing there is. The House deleted all the bedrooms. I should make you two a new bedroom. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Ok, this time, could we lose the bunk beds?" Amy asked.

"Bunk beds are cool. A bed with a ladder! You can't beat that." They looked at him and he sighed, "It's YOUR room. Up those stairs, keep walking till you find it. Off you pop!"

They started walking up the stairs when Rory stopped. "Doctor, do you have a room?" he knew Star had one, she'd seen her in it, in her last body, she was there a lot, but he'd never seen him in one.

Amy grabbed Rory's arm and pulled him off.

Star connected two wires and they sparked.

"Ha!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"It was meant to do that!" Star stuck her tongue out at him.

He pouted.

~.~

The Doctor threw his cloth down and looked up at the rotor, and smiled before he looked back to see Star sitting at the door looking out at the stars, he sighed and sat next to her, "What is it?"

"Im her maddy." She replied quietly.

"And…that's a bad thing?"

"No! It's just…I dunno…"

"You can tell me."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, "That's just it. There's nothing to tell. She has a nickname for me and that's that."

"Come on," He helped her up and headed to the console, "Are you there?" he looked up at the rotor, "Can you hear me? Im a silly old…"

"The Eye of Orion," Star cut in, "Or wherever we need to go."

A lever pulled down on its own and they dematerialised. They gripped onto the console and stumbled.


	7. The rebel flesh

Rory threw his dart.

"46," Amy shook her head at him, "Rubbishy rubbishy rubbish."

"Hello. It's a double time," Rory argued.

"A wrong side of the wire, mister."

"You're…red."

"No, I'm not." Amy laughed, "Stop trying to put me off."

"Can I join?" Star asked.

Amy casted a glanced at Rory, They'd tried to play darts with her before but she'd cheated, they were sure of it. She did throw the dart in the completely wrong direction but it still hit bull's-eye. "As long as you don't cheat." she held out a dart as Star came skipping down and grabbed it.

"Who do you think I am?" Star cried in mock-outrage, "I would never cheat at darts." she laughed as aimed her dart...

"Who wants fish 'n' chips?" the Doctor called, as Star let go of her dart hitting the bull's-eye, she grinned. The Doctor turned the scanner off as Rory raised his hand, "I'll drop you both off. Take your time. Don't rush."

"Uh, and you?" Rory frowned, lowering his arm.

"Star and I have things to do, things involving...other things."

"What things?" Star blinked.

"You know...those things."

"Oh." her eye widened as she realised, "Yes! Things, needed to be done…"

"Well we'll stay with you," Amy nodded, as she and Rory joined him as the console, and Star came up after them, "We'll do other things."

"Nope." the Doctor shook his head.

"Whatever you up to, we'd like to be involved."

A klaxon suddenly blared and the TARDIS began to buck. Rory grabbed hold of railing while Amy and Star grabbed the console as the Doctor tried to get to the controls.

"It's a Solar Tsunami," Star called, swinging the monitor around to her.

"Came directly from your sun." the Doctor added swinging the monitor around to him, "A tidal wave of radiation. Big, big, big!"

"Oh, my tummy's going funny." Rory groaned.

"Well, the gyros are dissipated," Star swung the monitor back, "Target-tracking is off-line."

With a grunt the Doctor pulled a lever, that did nothing, "Assume the position!" he shouted. Amy ran to sit on the jump seat, hands over her head as Rory did the same, kneeling in the floor. While the Doctor and Star crouched holding onto the console.

The TARDIS jolted to an abrupt stop, Amy and Rory looked up as the Doctor and Star jumped up. "Textbook landing!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Come on!" Star laughed grabbing the Doctors hand, running out the door, causing Amy and Rory to follow them.

They stepped out and looked out at the weathervane at the top of the spire on a run-down looking monastery.

"Behold!" the Doctor cheered, "A cockerel. Love a cockerel. And underneath, a monastery, 13th century."

"Oh, we've gone all medieval." Amy commented.

"I'm not sure about that." Rory remarked.

"Really? Medieval expert, are you?"

"I think the Dusty Springfield playing gives it away." Star laughed as 'You don't have to say you love me' played.

"Oh."

They walked towards a stairway and see a hole in the ground with an exposed pipe, "These fissures are new." the Doctor muttered, "The solar Tsunami sent out a huge wave of gamma particles. This was caused by a magnetic quake that occurred just before the wave hit."

"Well, the monastery's standing," Amy pointed out.

The Doctor pulled out a snow globe and shook it, "Yeah, for now," he studies the globe as the snow fell and put it away again.

"Doctor, look." Rory pointed at the words in the pipe, 'Danger Corrosive.'

"Ah, it's a supply pipe," the Doctor nodded, scanning it with the sonic, "Ceramic inner lining. Something corrosive. They're pumping something nasty off this island, to the mainland."

"My mums a massive fan of Dusty Springfield," Rory remarked.

"Who isn't? Right, let's go. Satisfy our rabid curiosity." he held out a hand for Star who took it and they walked up the wooden stairs and into the monastery's courtyard, looking around at the ruins that still seem habitable.

"So, where are these Dusty Springfield-loving monks, then?" Amy asked.

The Doctor scanned around, "I think we're here. This is it."

"Doctor, what are you talking about?" Rory shook his head, "We've never been here before."

They climbed up some more stairs.

"We came here by accident." Amy reminded him.

"'Accident?'" Star scoffed, looking at the Doctor pointedly, "Yes. Accident."

Rory touched one of the pipes running along the stairs and quickly pulled away, "Ah! Ow!"

"Acid." Star realised, "They're pumping acid off this island."

"That's old stuff," the Doctor added, "Fresh acid? You wouldn't have a finger."

An alarm blared as they continued up the stairs an Amy looked at her husbands hand. "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!"

"There's people coming, well, almost."

"Almost coming?" Amy frowned.

"Almost people."

"I think we should probably go," Rory said as the Doctor and Amy continued on.

"Come on!" Star pulled him off.

"I'm telling you, when something runs towards you, it's never for a nice reason."

The Doctor, Star, Amy and Rory ran into a room, stopping when they saw the human-shaped harness, three of them occupied by people in orange jumpsuits.

"What are all these harnesses for?" Amy wondered.

"Uh, the almost people?" Rory guessed.

"What are they, prisoners? Or are they meditating, or what?"

"At the moment," Star shrugged, "The 'or what?' category."

"Halt and remain calm." the computer commanded.

"Well, we've halted," the Doctor looked at each of them, "How are we all doing in the 'calm' front?"

At that moment three people entered the room, a young man, an older man and a young woman, the men carrying lances pointed at them. The Doctor quickly pulled Star behind him.

"Don't...move!" the older man ordered.

"Stay back, Jen," the young man kept the woman back, "We don't know who they are."

"So let's ask them," Jen remarked, "Who the hell are you?"

"Well in the Doctor," he introduced, "This is Star. And this is Amy and Rory and it's all very nice, isn't it?"

"Hold on," Amy frowned, looking between the people and the harnesses, "You're all, what are you all, like, identical twins?"

Another young man and an older woman in dark, sturdy suits ran in.

The older woman stepped forwards, clearly in charge, "This is an Alpha-grade industrial facility. Unless you work for the military or the Morpeth Jetson, you are in big trouble."

"Actually," he held up the psychic paper, "You're in big trouble."

"Meteorological department, since when?"

"Since you were hit by a solar wave."

"Which we survived."

"Just, by the look of it. And there's a bigger one of the way."

"Which we'll also survive. Dicken, scan for bugs."

Dicken, the young suited man next to her, held up a scanner, "Back against the wall. Now."

The Doctor, Star, Amy and Rory backed against the wall.

"You're a factory," Star realised, "Not a monastery. 22nd century, army-owned factory."

"You're army?" Amy gaped.

"No, love, we're contractors and you're trespassers." the woman remarked.

Dicken finished his scan, "It's ok, boss."

"All right, weatherman, you I.D. checks out. If there's another solar storm, what are you going to do about it, hand out sun block?"

The Doctor fake-laughed, "We need to see your critical systems."

"Which one?"

"You know which one." Star made eye contact with her.

~.~

They entered a room with a large vat on a raised platform. In front of it on the floor was an open tub the size of a person. The Doctor walked around to the opposite side with Star, looking down at the white bubbling liquid inside.

"There you are." the Doctor mumbled.

"Meet the governments' worst kept secret," the woman, Cleaves, they'd learnt as they we're led down to the room, explained to them, "the flesh. It's fully programmable matter. In fact, it's even learning to replicate itself at the cellular level."

"Right." Amy nodded, "Brilliant. Lost."

"Okay. Once a reading's been taken, we can manipulate its modular structure into anything; replicate a living organism, down to the hairs on its chinny-chin-chin. Even clothes and everything's identical, eyes, voice."

"Mind, soul." Star muttered.

"Don't be fooled, Star. It acts like life, but it still needs to be controlled by us from those harnesses you saw."

"Wait, whoa, hold on." Rory frowned, "so…you're flesh now?"

"Im lying in a harness back in that chamber. We all are, except Jennifer, here. Don't be scared. This thing? Just like operating a forklift truck."

"You said it could grow." The Doctor recalled, "Only living things grow."

"Moss grows. It's no more than that. This acid is so dangerous; we were losing a worker every week. So now, we mine the acid, using these doppelgangers, or 'gangers'. If these bodies get burnt or fall in the acid…"

"Then who the hell cares?" the young male ganger finished, "right, Jen?"

"Well, the nerve ending automatically cut off," Jen ignored him, "Like airbags being discharged, except we wake up and get a new ganger."

"It's weird," the older male ganger admitted, "But you get used to it."

"Jennifer, I want you in your ganger," Cleave ordered her "Get back to the harness."

Jen left and the Doctor pulled out the sonic and scanned the flesh.

"Hang on," the young male ganger called, "What's he up to? What are you up to, pal?"

The Doctor struggled to move his arm, "Stop it. Ahh!" he pulled his arm back. "Strange. It was like, for a moment there, it was scanning me." He glanced at Star who frowned at the flesh; he put the sonic back in pocket and touched the flesh with his palm.

"Doctor…" Ganger Cleaves warned him.

"Ahh." He shook his hand but couldn't pull away.

"Get back, Doctor. Leave it alone!"

"Ahh! Ah! Gah!" Star rushed over to help pull his arm away, "I understand."

"Doctor, are you alright?" Amy asked, rushing over.

"Incredible. You have no idea. I mean," he looked at Star who looked back, "I felt it in my mind. I reached out to it and it, to me."

Star dipped her finger in it, and moved it around slightly before pulled away. Nothing. She got nothing.

"Don't fiddle with the money, Doctor." Ganger Cleaves rolled her eyes at him.

"How can you be so blinkered?" the Doctor looked at her, "it's alive, so alive. You're piling your lifes, your personalities, directly into it."

Lightning crashed outside and the Doctor took out the snow globe as the ground shook.

"It's the solar storm;" Stars eye widened, "the first waves come in pairs, pre-shock and full shock, its close."

"Buzz, the comms are still too jammed with radiation." Ganger Cleaves turned to the young male ganger.

"Okay," he nodded, "Then we'll keep pumping acid until the mainland says stop. Now, why don't you stand back and let us impress you."

They stepped back and watched as flesh began to pour into the tub and began forming a face. The mouth, then the eyes and formed a human body, and there was Jennifer in her orange jumpsuit though her face was half-formed. She sat up with a gasped, fully-formed.

"Well, I can see why you keep it in a church." The Doctor remarked, "The miracle of life."

"No need to get poncey," Ganger Buzz said, "its just gunge."

"Guys, we need to get to work." Ganger Cleaves ordered.

"Okay everyone," the older male ganger nodded, "Lets crack on," he helped the Ganger Jennifer out of the tub.

"Did we mention the solar storm?" Star looked at them. "We need to get out of here."

"Well, where do you want us to go? We're on a tiny island."

"Well, we can get you all off it." the Doctor replied.

"Don't be ridiculous." Ganger Cleaves scoffed, "we've got a job to do."

"It's coming."

An alarm blared.

"That's the alarm." Ganger Jen looked up.

"How do you get power?" Star asked.

"We're solar and we use a solar rotor." Ganger Cleaves answered, "The weather vane."

The Doctor sighed, "Big problem."

"Boss, maybe if the storm comes back, we should get underground." The older male ganger suggested, "The factory's seen better days. The acid pipes might not withstand another hit."

"We have 200 tons of acid to pump out." Ganger Cleave reminded him, "we fall behind, we stay another rotation. Anyone want that?"

"Please," the Doctor grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side, "You are making a massive mistake here. You're right at the crossroads of it. Don't turn the wrong way. If you don't, if you don't, prepare for this storm, you are all in terrible danger, understand?"

"My factory, my rules." She walked away.

"We need to check the progress of the storm," he snapped his fingers, "Monitoring station." She hesitated so he snapped them again, "Monitoring station!"

"3 lefts a right, and a left." she replied, "3rd door on your left."

"Thank you." he left with Star, Amy and Rory following.

They entered the monitoring station as the building shook. In the centre of the room is a circular bank of instruments.

"The wave's disturbing the earth's magnetic field." Star frowned, "there's going to be the mother and father of all power surges."

"You see this weather vane," the Doctor pointed up, "the cock-a-doodle-doo? It's a solar rotor, feeding the whole factory with solar power. When this wave hits, kaboom. We've got to get to the cockerel before all hell breaks loose." He stopped at the doorway and chuckled to Star, "never thought I'd have to say that again."

"Not now." She groaned, before turning to Amy, "Amy breath!" they ran off.

~.~

They ran across to the tower where the solar rotor was.

They quickly climbed the ladder outside the tower, the Doctor swung to the right and Star swung to the left, pulling the power box open, with a grunt. The Doctor dug in his pockets for the sonic when lightning hit the tower and they both fell off it down to the roof.

~.~

The Doctor came to with a gasped and sat up to see Star next to him, lying on her back, still unconscious. He knelt next to her and gently shook her wake.

She blinked her eyes opened and looked up to see the vane gone.

"That's not good." She breathed.

"Not at all." He agreed, helping her up.

They walked down the stairs to see Cleaves, standing there, bewildered.

"Cleave, your not in your harness!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, Doctor," she whispered, "You were right."

"You've lost all power to the factory." Star told her.

"Doctor, Star, I abandoned my team."

"Well, let's go get them." the Doctor took her hand and they headed inside.

"How long would you say we were unconscious for, Cleaves?" the Doctor asked her as they walked down the tunnels.

"Not long," she shrugged, "a minute. 2 minutes."

"I'd hazard we've been out a teensy but longer."

"Well, how long".

"An hour." Star stated.

"I've seen while worlds turn inside out in a hour." the Doctor sighed, "A lot can go wrong in an hour."

They ran up the stairs and into the harness room to see Amy checking on Buzz, Dicken and Jimmy while Rory was comforting a clearly traumatised Jen.

"Doctor, Star," Amy called, seeing them, "Look. These are all real people. So where are their Gangers?"

"Don't worry," Cleaves waved her off, "When the link shuts down, the Gangers return to pure flag. Now, the storms left us with acid leaks all over, do we need to contact the mainland. They can have a rescue shuttle out here in no time."

"Shush," Star ushered for silence, "Do you hear that?"

They all quietened and Dusty Springfield playing.

"That's my record." Jimmy breathed, "Who's playing my record?"

"Your Gangers. They've gone walkabout." the Doctor remarked.

"No, it's impossible," Cleaves argued, "They're not active, cars don't fly themselves, cranes don't lift themselves, and Gangers don't..." she trailed off as the music continued.

~.~

The group slowly entered the dining hall to see the record playing on the turntable.

"No way." Buzzer breathed.

"I don't..." Cleaves shook her head in disbelief, "I don't believe this."

"They could've escaped through the service door in the back," Jimmy reasoned.

"This is just like the Isle of Sheppey," Buzzer commented.

The Doctor sat at the table and loomed at a house of cards, "It would seem the storm has animated your Gangers."

"They're ransacked everything," Cleaves gaped.

"Not ransacks, searched." Star corrected.

"Though our stuff?"

"Well technically, it's their stuff."

"Searching for what?" Jimmy wondered.

"Confirmation." the Doctor replied, "They need to know their memories are real."

"Oh, so they've got flaming memories now," Buzzer rolled his eyes.

"They feel compelled to connect to their lives, yeah."

"Their stolen lives." Cleaves glared.

"No, bequeathed." Star corrected, "You gave them this. You gave them your personalities, emotions, traits, memories, secrets...everything."

"You gave them your life's." the Doctor added, "Human life's are amazing. Are you surprised they walked off with them?"

"I'll say it again, Isle of Sheppey." Buzzer repeated, "Ganger got an electric shock, toddled off, killed his operator, right there in his harness. I've seen the photos. This bloke was..."

"Even if this had actually happened," Jimmy cut him off, "They can't remain stable without us plumped into them, can they, boss?"

"I guess we'll find out." Cleaves shrugged.

Jennifer gasped and Rory went to her side, "Are you okay? Do you need some water?"

"I feel funny," she clutched her stomach, "I need the washroom." She ran out of the room.

Rory followed her, "I'll come with you."

Dickens sneezed, "sorry."

The Doctor leaned forwards and studied the cards as Star hopped into the table, and looked at them upside down.

"That was me," Buzzer said, watching them, "it's good to have a hobby. So, what, my ganger did that, all on its own?"

"Who taught you to do it?" Star asked him.

"My granddad."

"Well, you Gangers granddad taught him to do it, too." The Doctor continued, "You both have the same childhood memories, just as clear, just as real."

"No." Buzzer knocked the cards down.

"There just scared and disorientated," The Doctor sighed, "There struggling to come to terms with an entire life in their heads."

Star hopped off the table and went to examine a microwave a few feet away.

"We nee to protect ourselves," Jimmy decided.

"Are you a violent man, Jimmy?" Star asked him as she put a container of food in the microwave.

"No."

"Then the other Jimmy isn't either."

"Don't tell me you can eat at a time like this, Star." Cleaves stared at her in disbelieve.

"There's always time for food."

The Doctor shook his head at her and turned to Cleaves, "You told me you were out cold for a few minutes, Cleaves, when in fact, it was an hour."

"Sorry, I just assumed..." she trailed.

"Well, it's not your fault. Like I said, they're disorientated,"

"Amy, when you got to the alcoves, who was in harness?" Star asked as the microwave went off and she pulled the plate out with a towel but the Doctor slapped her hand away and did it himself. Both knowing exactly what had happened.

"Um, Jimmy and Dicken were helping Buzzer out." She recalled.

"And Jennifer?"

"She was standing on her own when we got to her."

Star nodded as the Doctor handed the plate to Cleaves; she held it in her hand.

"It's hot." the Doctor told her.

She hissed as dropped the plate to the ground, shattered. "Ah."

"The transmitter's still a little rubbery," he examined Cleaves hand, "the bruise endings are not quite fused properly."

Cleaves pulled her hand away, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's okay."

"Why didn't I feel that?"

"You will. You'll stabilise."

"No. Stop it. You're playing stupid games. Stop it!" she turned her back on him.

"You don't have to hide," Star called softly to her.

"Please. Trust me," the Doctor pleaded, "I'm the Doctor."

Ganger Cleaves turn to them, hissing, her face half-formed.

Buzzer grabbed a knife from the table as approached her, Jimmy held him back. "Where's the real Cleaves, you thing?!" Buzzer demanded, "What have you done with her?!"

"That's good," Star smiled encouragingly Ganger Cleaves, "You remember."

"This is early flesh, the early stages of the technology," the Doctor reached out a hand to her, "So much to learn."

"Doctor, what's happening to her?" Amy asked.

"She can't stabilise, she's shifting between half-form and full-form. For now at least."

"We are leaving!" Ganger Cleaves shouted as she lunged at the Doctor with a growl and ran screaming from the room.

"Let her go."

"Rory!" Star gasped.

"Rory?"

Amy turned and threw her arms up, "Rory!"

"Rory..." Star breathed, knowing that he was likely with the unstable Ganger Jen.

"Oh, Rory! Always with the Rory!" The Doctor sighed before running out of the room with Star, Amy and Jimmy. They ran down a few tunnels and out off one of the buildings, to find their way blocked by leaking acid from the pipes on the ground.

"The explosion must've trip tired the acid feeds," Jimmy remarked, "We're going to need the acid suits."

"No, no, no, we haven't got time," the Doctor ushered them back,

"Back, back, back."

They ran down more tunnels, taking the long way to the washroom. The stopped seeing a hole in one of the stall doors.

"Rory!" Amy shouted.

Star looked in the sink to see a pile of flesh, "Jennifer's a ganger too."

Amy turned to the Doctor, "You said they wouldn't be violent."

"But we did say they were scared and angry." he countered.

"And early technology, is what you said," Jimmy eyed them, "You seem to know something about the flesh."

"Do you?" Amy accused, "Doctor? Star?"

"You're no weatherman. Why are you really here?"

"We have to talk to them," Star decided.

"We can fix this," the Doctor agreed and they ran from the room.

"Wait!" Jimmy shouted, following them, "What's going on? Where's the real Jennifer?" he caught up with them as they reached the top of some stairs and headed down another tunnel but pulled back as steam burst from a pipe, acid in the ground.

"It's too dangerous out here with acid leaks," Star mumbled.

"We have to find Rory!" Amy insisted.

"Yes! We do!"

"Yes," the Doctor agreed with them, "I'm going back to the TARDIS. I'M going back," he looked at Star who pouted, "Wait for me in the dining hall. I want us to keep together, okay? No more wandering off."

"And what about Rory?" Amy asked.

"It would be safer to look for Rory and Jennifer with the TARDIS."

Humming turned and spotted a box in the wall, "Here we go," he opened it and pulled out a large container, "Distress flares," he closed the box and jumped seeing the Doctor there, causing Star to giggle.

"Exit?" he asked.

"Keep going straight," he sighed, "Can't miss it. But you're never going to get your vehicle in here."

"I'm a great parker." he left.

"No, he isn't," Star muttered, running after him.

~.~

"Boo!" Star laughed, creeping up in the Doctor as he made his way back to the TARDIS.

"Star!" he gasped, "I told you to meet me in the dining hall."

"Yes but I never agreed to it."

He puffed out his cheeks, she didn't actually agree, he shouldn't have been surprised she'd followed.

They headed down the stairs to we're the TARDIS was parked.

They stopped and looked down, "What are you doing down there?" the Doctor whined seeing the TARDIS almost completely sunk into the acid-saturated ground.

"Really!" Star huffed, she jumped suddenly as she felt a sharp pain in her foot, looking down the both spotted that they were in a puddle of acid. The Doctor wasn't as lucky as he dug round in his pockets before noticing acid had begun to eat away at his boots, he quickly got out of them and jumped onto the stairs and they headed back or the monastery.

~.~

They walked into the acid room, to see the acid suits.

"Hello," Star grinned, seeing the half-formed Gangers.

"How are we all getting on?" The Doctor smiled.

"Why don't you tell us?" Ganger Cleaves countered.

"Well, we have two choices. The first is to tear each other apart." Star told them.

"Not our favourite," the Doctor interrupted.

"The second is to work together."

"Try to work out how best we can help you."

~.~

The Doctor and Star, led the Gangers, now fully-formed down the tunnels, "Now, we know its hard for you to hold your fully human form," the Doctor reassured them, "That's why you keep shifting between the flesh stages, but do try."

"It's make the other less scared of you," Star added.

"Okay," the heard Amy speak from inside the dining hall, "Let's not do anything at all..."

"Until the Doctor and Star gets here." the Doctor, Star and Amy finished in unison.

"Hello." Star waved.

The Gangers entered behind them.

"This is..." Jimmy began.

"You're telling me." Ganger Jimmy agreed.

"All right, Doctor, Star," Ganger Cleaves looked at them, "You've brought is together, now what?"

"Before we do anything," the Doctor began, "I have one very

"Important question...has anybody got a pair of shoes I could borrow? Size 10. Although I should want you, I have very wide feet."

~.~

The Doctor sat on the edge of the table, now he brown boots he'd been given, as Star sat cross-legged next to him. Amy stood behind them. On one side the gangers stood, the others stood opposite them, Rory standing next to Ganger Jen.

"The flesh was never really moss." The Doctor explained to them, "They're not copies. The storm has hardwired them. They are becoming people."

"With souls?" Jimmy frowned.

"Rubbish." Dicken sneered before sneezing.

"Bless you." his Ganger called and Ganger Cleaves glared at him, "What?"

"We were all jelly once," the Doctor continued on, "little jelly eggs, sitting in gloop."

"Yeah, thanks," Amy grimaced, "Too much information."

"We are not talking about an accident that needs to be mopped up. We are talking about sacred life. Do you understand? Good."

"Now, the TARDIS is parked in an acid pool." Star told them.

"Trapped." The Doctor corrected. Amy and Rory looked at him, "I didn't park in an acid pool." The continued looked at him, "I didn't!"

"Anyway," Star kicked his foot, "Once we can reach her, we can get everyone off this island."

"Humans and gangers, eh, how does that sound?"

"Can we get home for Adam's birthday?" Jimmy asked.

"What about me?" His ganger looked at him, "He's my son, too."

"You? You really think that?"

"I feel it."

"Oh, so you were there when he was born, were you?"

"Yeah. I drank about 8 pints of tea and they told me I had a wee boy and I just burst out laughing," He laughed, "No idea why. I miss home. As much as you."

"Look, im not going to lie to you," the Doctor cut in, "it's a right odd mess, this. But, as you might say up north 'oh, well, I'll just go to 't foot of the stairs'. Ha ha ha. Eh, bye-bye, gone." Everyone stared at him, as Star shook her head at him, fondly "Or not. Good right. The first step is we get everyone together, then get everyone safe, then get everyone out of here."

"But we're still missing Jennifer and Cleaves." Amy reminded them.

"I'll go and look for them." Jimmy headed for the door.

"I'll give you a hand, if you like," he ganger joined him, "cover more ground."

"Yeah. Okay. Thanks."

Everyone watched the Jimmy's that they didn't notice Cleaves enter, "This circus has gone on long enough!" there was a crackle of electricity from the device in her hand.

"Oh, great," he ganger rolled her eyes. "That is just so typically me."

"Doctor, tell it to shut up."

"Don't do this!" Star pleaded, "Please don't!"  
"Circuit probe. Fires about, oh, 40,000 volts. It would kill any one of us, so I guess she'll work on gangers, just the same."

"Its interesting you refer to them as 'it'," the Doctor commented, "but you call a glorified cattle prod a 'she.'"

"When the real people are safely off this island, then I'll happily tale philosophy over a pint with you, Doctor." She remarked.

"What are you going to do to them?" Amy frowned.

"Sorry, their monsters, mistakes. They have to be destroyed."

"Give me the probe, Cleaves." Star ordered.

"We always have to take charge, don't we, Miranda?" Ganger Cleaves asked, "even when we don't really know what the hell is going on."

Ganger Buzzer charged at Cleaves and she fired at him 3 times. He fell to the ground.

The Doctor knelt next to him, "Stop! Oh! Ah! He's dead!"

"We call it 'decommissioned.'" Cleaves glared, moving the probe towards Ganger Jen who gasped and ducked.

"You stopped his heart! He had a heart! Aorta, valves, a real, human heart! And you stopped it."

"Jen?" Rory called, seeing her hiding behind him.

"What happened to Buzz will happen to us all, if we trust you." Ganger Jen spat.

"Wait, wait." The Doctor stood up, "Just wait."

"No!" Rory yelled, seeing Cleaves aiming at Ganger Jen.

Star held out her hand and the probe flew out of Cleaves hand and into hers where she snapped it in half, a dark look in her red eyes as she looked directly at Cleaves, who looked spooked.

The Gangers took this opportunity to run out of the room.

"Wait!" the Doctor shouted after them. "Look at what you've done, Cleaves."

"If it's war, then its war." Cleaves glared, "You don't get it. How can you? It's us and them now." She turned to her crew, "us…and them."

"Us and them." Dicken nodded.

"Us and them." Jimmy sighed.

The Doctor sighed and looked at Star, who still had the snapped probe in her hands. Both unhappy with the turn of events.

~.~

Amy and Rory were having a quiet conversation as they covered up Ganger Buzzers body. Buzzer, Jimmy and Cleave were having their own whispered conversation.

"The most fortified and defendable room in the monastery?" the Doctor called, "Cleaves! The most fortified and defensible room in the monastery?"

Cleaves turned to him, "the chapel."

"Thank you."

"Only one way in, stone walls, 2 feet thick."

"You've crossed one hell over a line, Cleaves." Star crossed her arms at the woman, "You've killed one of them. They're coming back. In a big way."

"Come on!" the Doctor called and they ran from the room and headed to the chapel.

"What about the flares?" Jimmy asked.

"We'll worry about the flares when we're locked inside," the Doctor replied, ushering the crew in, leaving himself, Star, Amy and Rory, "Rory pond."

Rory hesitated, hearing Jennifer scream.

"Rory?" Amy turned to him, "Come on."

"Rory...?" Star eyed him.

"Jens out there," Rory said, "She out there and she's in her own," he headed down the tunnel.

"Well, if she's got any sense, then she's hiding." the Doctor called after him, "Rory!"

"I can't leave her out there!"

"Rory!" Star shouted after him.

"I know you understand that." he did. He knew what it was like to wake up and find out you weren't real.

"Get in here!" Amy cried, "Get in here!"

The Gangers appeared at the other end of the tunnel and Rory ran down a side corridor.

"Be careful..." Star yelled after him.

"There they are!" Cleaves gasped.

"Amy." the Doctor grabbed her and pulled her inside.

"Rory!" Amy yelled.

Star closed the door behind her.

"Amy," Star pulled her further into the room, "Amy, they are not after him, they're after us."

"Why?" a voice whispered from the far corner of the room, "Why?"

"Show yourself." the Doctor ordered, "Show yourself!"

"Ah!" it groaned.

"Doctor!" Amy gasped, as the Doctor and Star walked towards it, "Star!"

"Pass me the barrel." Cleaves ordered.

"We need something heavy," Dickens nodded, "Anything you can find."

Amy continued watching the Doctor and Star.

Jimmy let out a little laugh, "This is insane. We're fighting ourselves."

"Yes, it's insane," Star agreed, "And it's about to get even more insaner. Not as insane as me, though. But that's not even a word, is it?"

"Show yourself!" the Doctor called to the shadows.

"Doctor!" Amy shouted, "We are trapped in here and Rory is out there, with them. Hello! We can't get to the TARDIS and we can't even leave the island."

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak but another voice answered in his voice, "Correct, Pond. It's frightening, unexpected, frankly, a total, utter, splattering mess on the carpet, but I'm certain, 100% certain, that we can work this out," from the shadows stepped out a Ganger Doctor, his face fully-formed, "Trust me. I'm the Doctor."


	8. The almost people

The ganger Doctor screamed as he twisted and absorbed all the Doctors memories and past incarnations, "What's happening? I wonder if we'll get back. Yes, one day...Argh! I've reversed the polarity of the neutron flow."

"The flesh is struggling to cope with your past regenerations," Star told him as she and the Doctor watched on.

"Hold on!" The Doctor shouted to himself.

"Would you like a jelly baby?" the Ganger Doctor asked in his 4th incarnation's voice, holding a hand out. His voice returned to normal, "Why? Why?"

"Why? Why what?"

His voice turned to his 10th incarnations, "Hello. I'm the Doctor." his voice turned to normal, "No. Let it go, we've moved on!"

"Hold on!" Star cried, "Just...hold on. You can stabilise!"

The ganger reached out and grabbed the Doctor jacket, "I've reverse the jelly-baby of the neutron flow. Would you like a…Doctor…Doctor…im…im the…I cant."

"No, listen, hold on." He told his ganger, "Hold on!"

"Nooooo!" he shoved the Doctor away, "Aaagh!" he turned into her half-formed state.

Star knelt next to the ganger, hugging him tightly, "Its ok." She assured him, "You can do it. You can stabilise. You're the Doctor; I know you can do it."

"It hurts," he whimpered.

"_I know, but I need you to stabilise. For me?"_ she asked him in Gallifreyan.

He gripped his head, forcing himself to stabilise, for Star.

The crew were busy barricading the doors.

"I think I liked it best when they were being noisy." Buzzer remarked.

Amy walked over to the Doctor and Star, "We need you. Get over here."

"Hello!" the ganger Doctor jumped up, now a lot more stabilised, but still some pain left over.

"Hi." Star laughed, relieved, honestly, she hadn't saw a ganger; all she saw was her dad in pain and so she helped him, what else should she have done, watched him? As if.

"Doctor!" Amy ignored the Ganger.

"Cybermats." The Doctor eyed the ganger.

"Do we have time for this?" the ganger asked him.

"He'd like more prove you're him," Star said, "I don't need any prove. So…Cybermats?"

"Anything for you," he flicked her nose, "Created by the Cybermen. They kill by feeding off brainwaves."

Amy ran back to the door, "Are you sure there aren't any big guns with bits on?" she asked the crew.

"Yeah, big guns would be good right now." Buzzer replied.

"Why would be have guns?" Jimmy countered, leaning against the door, "We're a factory. We mine."

There was a hissing and smoke came through the door.

"Acid." Amy realised.

The 2 Doctors were now standing on either side of Star, watching the crew.

"Amy and Rory may not trust both of us." The ganger said to the other him.

"Are you thinking what im thinking?" the Doctor smirked.

"Inevitably."

"Im glad we're on the same…"

"Wavelength. You see, great minds."

"Exactly."

"So what's the plan?" Star giggled at them.

"Save them all, humans and gangers." The ganger suggested.

"Fantastic!" Star cheered and the Doctors laughed at their 9th self's catchphrase.

"Is that what you were thinking?" the ganger turned to the Doctor.

"It's just so inspiring to hear me say it." the Doctor smiled.

"I know!"

"Doctor," Amy called, "Star, come on!"

"So, what now, Doctor?"

"Well, time to get cracking, Doctor." The Doctor clapped his hands and they both walked to the others. Star shook her head fondly at them as she followed.

"Hello," the Doctors said unison, "Sorry…"

"But we had to establish a few…" the Ganger continued.

"Ground rules." The Doctor finished, noticing Amy looking at their boots, seeing him in the brown he'd been given and the ganger in the original black.

"Formulate a…"

"Protocol."

"Protocol. Very posh."

"A protocol between us. Otherwise…"

"It get horrible embarrassing."

"And potentially confusing."

"Im glad you've solved the problem of confusing." Amy looked at them, annoyed.

"That's sarcasm." Star pointed out.

"I know." The ganger Doctor remarked.

"She's very good at sarcasm." The Doctor added.

They both turned to Amy, "Breathe!"

"What?" Amy blinked.

"We have to get you all off this island." The ganger Doctor deadpanned.

"And the gangers too." The Doctor agreed.

"Sorry, would you like a memo from the last meeting?" Cleaves glared at them, "They're trying to kill us!"

"They're scared!" Star defended.

"Doctor, Star, we're trapped in here." Amy reminded them.

"I don't think so," the Doctor shook his head, "The flesh bowl is fed by cabling from above."

"But where are the earthling conduits?" the ganger Doctor wondered.

"All this piping must go down into a tunnel or a shaft or something, yes? With us?" the Doctor removed some panelling to reveal a grate, "Yowza! An escape route." He smiled back at them, not seeing Star and Amy mouth 'Yowza' questionably to each other, "You know, im starting to get a sense of just how impressive it is to hang out with me."

"Do we tend to say 'Yowza?'" the ganger Doctor asked.

"That's enough, let it go, ok? We're under stress."

~.~

The gangers broke into the room, finding it empty. Ganger Cleaves heard the sonic and moved to the grating to see the Doctor and the other her. She hissed as they got away.

~.~

The Doctor, his ganger, Star and Amy walked down the tunnel with the originals, getting away from the gangers.

"The army will send a recon team." Buzzer remarked.

"We need to contact the mainland." Cleaves reminded him.

"What about Rory and Jen?" Amy shook her head, "They are both out there."

"And if anything happens to Rory I will personally make the rest of your life miserable." Star threatened.

"And she's not joking," the ganger Doctor warned.

"It takes a long time to find someone in a maze." The Doctor looked around, "I bet you lot have got a computer map."

"If we can get power running, we can scan for them." Cleave realised before she began coughing.

And soon everyone was coughing.

"Doctor," Amy rasped out, "You said earlier to breathe."

"Very important, Pond." He nodded, "Breathe."

"Yeah, im struggling to."

"Acid interacting with the stone." Star remarked.

"Creating an asphyxiant miasma." The ganger Doctor added.

"A what?" Cleave shook her head.

"Chokey gas." Star simplified.

"Extra heavy." The ganger Doctor choked out, "If we can get above it…"

"The evac tower. This way!" Cleaves led them off.

They followed her down the tunnel and up the stairs to the evac tower. The Doctor and Amy entering first, coughing, followed by his ganger, Star, and then the originals. They headed for the control panel.

"Ohh!" Amy coughed some more, "I think I coughed so hard, I pulled a muscle or something."

"Its ok, it's easing off." The Doctor reassured her as he went to check the front of the controls while Star and the ganger Doctor duck behind it.

"Its midnight," Jimmy looked up as a bell chimed, "it's Adams birthday. My son's 5. Happy birthday, bud."

Cleaves stood behind the console, "Can you really get the power back on?" she asked.

"There's always some power floating around." One Doctor popped up and popped back down as the other popped up.

"Sticking to the wires, like bits of lint." The other finished.

"Can you stop finishing each others…" Amy began.

"Sentences?" the first popped back up. "No probs."

"Yes." The second pointed at her and they both ducked down.

"Star can you make them stop?" Amy looked around, looking for Star.

"I could," Star popped up, "but its funny!" she ducked down again.

"What about the TARDIS? You said the TARDIS was trapped in acid, so won't she be damaged?"

"She's parked in acid," Star corrected, popping up.

"She's a tough old thing." The first Doctor popped back up, "Tough, old, sexy."

"No, tough, dependable, sexy." The other Doctor popped back up, the other side of Star. Before the three ducked down again.

"Come on." Amy stressed, "Ok, how can…how can you both be real?"

"Well, because…" the Doctor popped up again, "We are. Im the Doctor."

"So am I." the other one appeared, "We contain the knowledge of over 900 years of experience. We both wear the same bowtie, which is cool."

"Because bowties are…"

"And always will be…"

"Cool!" Star finished, jumping up. The three of them straightening their bowties.

"But you weren't linked to the flesh." Amy frowned.

"It must've been after I examined it." the first Doctor shrugged, "Thus, a new genuine Doctor was created." He gestured to the second him.

"Ta-da!" he grinned.

'_Daddy…' _Star frowned and the second Doctor winked at her and she nodded realising what he was doing.

"But one of you was here first." Amy argued

"After the flesh scanned me," the Doctor started, "I had an accident with a puddle of acid. Now new shoes, situation which did not confront me learned self here."

"That satisfy you, pond?" the ganger Doctor looked at her.

"Don't call me Pond, please." Amy remarked to who she thought was the ganger. Both Doctors and Star looked at her, "What?"

"Interesting. You definitely feel more affection for him than me."

"No, I…look you're fine and everything, but he is the Doctor." She gestured to the ganger, "No offence. Being almost the Doctor is pretty damn impressive."

"Being almost the Doctor's like being no Doctor at all."

"Don't overreact."

"You might as well call me…"

"Smith?" Star suggested and he snapped his fingers at her.

"Smith?" Amy frowned.

"John Smith," he nodded.

"Communication a go-go!" the Doctor cheered.

They all ran to the console to get it keyed up.

"Find Rory!" Amy ordered, "Show me the scanny tracky screen. Come on, Rory, let's be having you."

"Please be ok." Star prayed, she was seriously now regretting not running after him, at least that way she would know if he was alive.

"There's no sign of him anywhere," Cleaves frowned, pulling up the screen.

"Come on, baby, show yourself." Amy breathed.

Cleave called into the transmitter, "St John's calling. Emergency Alpha. St Johns calling the mainland. Are you receiving me, captain? Come in." she sighed, "we'll never get a signal through this storm," she leaned into the transmitter, "St John's calling the mainland. Come in, this is urgent."

"We're just about ready you, St Johns." A man replied, "How are you doing? We've had all kinds of trouble here."

"Request immediate evacuation. We're under attack. The storm's affected our gangers. They're running amok."

"Your gangers?"

"Yes, our gangers are attacking us. We need you to take us off the island immediately and wipe them out."

The Doctors and Star exchanged a look.

"Copy that, St Johns. Shuttles dispatched. Hang on."

"You'll need to airlift us off the rook of the evac tower."

"And captain, any further transmission sent by me must come with the following code word. Im typing it, in case they're listening in."

"Got it. We'll swing in, get you out, and decommission the flesh."

She nodded and turned her head, and they began preparing for evacuation.

"What about Rory and Jen?" Amy asked.

"We've got to get out of here." Buzzer said.

"We're not leaving without them."

"I want em found too, but it's about casualties, innit? Can't be helped."

Amy turned to see the Doctor, in brown boots, sitting besides her at the console. "What are you doing?"

"Making a phone call," he murmured.

"Who to?"

"No one yet. It's on delay."

"Right, not getting it, why exactly are you making a phone call?"

"Because Amy I am and always will be the optimist."

"Not as optimistic as me!" Star skipped over.

"The wheels are in motion," the Doctor spun Amy's chair around and she laughed before she caught sight of the Ganger.

She was silent as she looked at him, "You know, really, there can be only one of you."

"Amy," Star spoke, "Rory was plastic once." she reminded her, "That's practically the same as being flesh, or you saying that Rory's not real."

"That's not what I'm saying!" she glared.

"It sounds to me like it is!" she raised her voice, "Flesh and plastic isn't that different." Amy fell silent, "I win!"

Amy sighed and walked off.

The Doctor pulled Star in his lap and she laughed, "What do you think of the Gangers?"

"I think...they are normal living organisms that deserve their own lives." she shrugged.

Amy gasped as she watched the wall, intently.

"Amy?" the Doctor looked at her, "what happened?"

"It's her again," she sat back down.

"Who again?" Star frowned.

"There's a woman I keep seeing, a woman with an eye-patch, and she has this habit of sliding walls open and staring at me. Doctor?"

"Its nothing." he assured her.

"Doesn't seem like nothing."

"It's likely just a time memory," Star waved her off, "Like a mirage."

"It's nothing to worry about," the Doctor slapped her thigh, before spinning around the console, "Get off!" he ordered Star lightly.

"Oh." She pouted as she stood up, "I was comfy!"

"I couldn't see the screen."

"It's in my head..." the ganger whispered, closing his eyes before running out the room.

"Hey!" Jimmy called, "Hold on!"

"Don't let him go!" Cleaves instructed.

Amy got up to run after him but Star held up a hand, "Let me!" she ran out after him.

"You can't go alone!" Amy ran after her.

They walked into the next too to see the ganger standing there, facing the wall, in almost complete darkness.

"Doctor?" Star called, squeezing one of his hands, "Dad!"

Amy kept her distance, "I'm sorry. What I said about being almost the Doctor, it's just really hard, because I've been through so much with him and Star. I've even seen...I've even seen the moment of his...can you die?" She asked, "If you really are the same, then can you die. You can be killed, and...I might have seen that happen."

"Amy..." Star warned.

"Why?" the ganger Doctor breathed.

"Why what?"

"Why!" Amy scoffed, "Because you invited us to see it. Your death!"

"Amy!" Star turned to her, "Think about you just said that to!"

He grabbed Star by her shoulders and pinned her to the wall.

"Why?" he spat at her.

"Don't! Let her go!" Amy yelled, rushing over, but he moved so she couldn't help, she ran back to get help.

"Why what?" Star asked softly.

"It's all the eyes say!" He shouted, "Why?! I can feel them as they work each day. Knowing this time was coming for them to be thrown away again. 'Not again, please!' and then they are destroyed and they feel death and all they can say is 'why?'"

Star pulled herself out of his grip, "I'm sorry," she whispered, "it's your connection with the ganger, it has to be." she pulled him into a hug, "It's okay. You're linked to your ganger, everything he feels, you can also feel." she wiped away his tears, "Better now?" He nodded, keeping her close, "Good. Come on."

"So what have we missed?" Star asked as they re-entered the room again.

"Besides the girl screaming murder?" Buzzer answered with his own question.

"He was hurting you!" Amy shouted.

"No he wasn't." she shook her head.

"He had you pinned to the wall!"

"I'm a Time Lady I've been through a lot more than pinned to a wall!"

"Ok, ok," the Doctor cut in, seeing Star getting angry, "Did you sense it to?"

"Briefly," the other nodded, "not as strong as you."

"Amy," the ganger looked at her, "I'm sorry I frightened you but...it would appear I can connect to the Flesh."

"Well you are Flesh," Amy mumbled.

"I'm egging to understand what it needs."

"What YOU want. You are it."

He put a hand over Stars mouth seeing her about to open her mouth, no doubt to have an argument with Amy, "It's much more powerful than we thoughts. The Flesh can grow, correct?"

"Its cells can decide," Cleaves nodded.

"Well, now it wants to do that at will," the Ganger stated. "It wants revenge. It's in pain, angry. It wants revenge."

"I was right," Amy grumbled, "You're not the Doctor, you can't ever be. You're just a copy."

"That's enough, Amelia!" Star cried, "If you keep at it at the Flesh I will ensure that your life is hell for the rest of it." she glared her down, as she herself calmed down, "If you think the Flesh isn't real, does that mean Rory isn't real? The more you say the Flesh isn't real the more you say your husband isn't real."

The Doctor crossed his arms, "Well said."

Star broke into a grin, as though she hadn't just threatened Amy.

The Doctor smirked, he loved the new her, she loved the adventure, loved to get out there, loved to be close to people, loved hugs! And most importantly accepted herself, besides the odd temper tantrum.

"Doctor, it might be best of you stayed over there for now, hmm?" Cleaves looked over at the 'ganger'.

"Ah! We've explained this!" Star cut in, "They are the same!"

"We have no issue with him!" Cleaves nodded to the Doctor, "But when it come to your Ganger."

"Don't be so absurd." the ganger Doctor scoffed.

"Fine." Star sighed, "Come on you," she dragged the 'ganger' to a barrel, "We'll stay over here, away from the hypocrites!" she glared at them and landed on Amy and stared longer than necessary.

"Well," the ganger Doctor sat down, and straightened his bow tie, "This is comfy."

"Is this really what you want?" the ganger asked.

"This is the shuttle," a man came over the transmitter a while later, "We're right above you, but we can't get low enough. Gamma static could fry or an-controls. Sit tight. We'll get to you."

The Doctor took out his sonic and to amuse himself, scanned cleaves.

Amy sighed as she watched the monitors, intently, "I can't find Rory. Im going out there."

"We could use the sonic to track him down," the Doctor offered, "Humans and Gangers give off slightly different signals. The sonic can tell the difference."

"Oh, so the sonic..." Amy began.

"Enough!" Star cut her off, "Stop being a prejudice."

"Hey." Buzzer called as the static cleared, "There's a camera up. We've got visual."

Amy ran over, "That Rory and Jennifer."

"There's heading for the thermostatic room," Cleaves realised watching them walk through the tunnels.

"Let's go and get them!"

The Doctor remained seated and tossed the sonic at the ganger.

"We can't let him go." Cleaves scoffed, "Are you crazy?"

"Am I crazy, Doctor?" he looked at his ganger.

"Not as crazy as Star," he countered, "But you did once plumb your brain into the core of an entire planet just to halt its orbit and win a bet with her."

"Good day that was," Star laughed, recalling the memory.

"He can't go rescue them," Amy shook her head, "I'm going."

"Do you know, I want him to go," the Doctor stood and looked at Amy, I want him to go. And I'm rather adamant."

"Well then. Hell needs company, right, boss?" Buzzer looked at Cleaves, "its fine, I'll handle it."

"Thank you, Buzzer," the ganger snapped his fingers at him.

"I'll go too," Star adjusted her corset.

"No!" the Doctor suddenly shouted, "I need you with me." he walked and tugged her over to him.

"And I..." the ganger took her other arm, "Need her with me!"

"She's my daughter."

"She's mine too."

"Pack it in!" Star snapped, "Im going!"

The Doctor pouted as the ganger smirked triumphantly, "Be careful." He whispered.

"Im going with you remember? I'll be fine."

"You…" he pointed at the ganger, "look after her."

"With my life." He crossed his hearts.

~.~

They'd found Jen, the original her, they found her lying on the ground, she'd died mere moments before they'd found her and Buzzer had tried to attack the ganger with his torch but Star had grabbed the torch and pushed the man to the ground. Before she helped him back up after threatening him that if he tried that again, she would do a lot worst to him, he quickly apologised to the ganger.

"Taking care of me, eh?" the ganger smiled at her as they walked down the tunnels.

She nudged him playfully, "isn't it meant to be the other way round, you take care of me?"

They walked down the tunnels where they heard Rory shouting from the dining hall, "You created another ganger just to trick me. You tricked me. When I found you, you were both Flesh and you tricked me into trusting you! Jen's dead, isn't she?"

"Yes," Star stated as they entered, "She died moments before we got to her."

"Star…" Rory ran to her and hugged her.

"Don't scare me like that again!"

"Shuttle, we're dropping down on our approach," a man called over the radio, "stand by for evac."

"The humans will be melted, as they deserve," Ganger Jen sneered, "And then the factory will be destroyed. Once we get to the mainland the real battle begins. The humans won't stand a chance. You're one of us, Doctor. Join the revolution."

"Im getting them out." Star deadpanned, beginning to walk off.

"Me too." Rory nodded following her.

The ganger Doctor shoved Star into Rory, she looked at him, hurt and betrayed and Rory looked shocked he'd do such a thing to her.

"Doctor, we can't just let them die."

The ganger looked at his watch, "Ring ring!"

"Amy's in there!" Star shouted at him, "Your companion, remember?!"

"Ring ring!" he shoved her back again and she shoved him back.

The room suddenly began shaking and Rory used this as an advantage to try and get him and Star past the gangers and out of the room to help the others.

"Stay!" the ganger Doctor pointed at them.

Rory stopped and held his hands up, "Ok."

Star took another step to the door and the ganger Doctor pointed at her, "I said stay!"

She glared him down a moment before the phone began ringing.

"Ah!" the ganger Doctor smiled, "That'll be the phone. Somebody get the phone. Jimmy, get the phone. No? Fine, I'll get the phone. Stay put." He picked up the phone on soniced it, a hologram of a young boy appeared, "Thank you for booking your holo-call with Morpeth Jet." A voice stated.

"Ha! Hello, Adam, im the Doctor," the ganger Doctor smiled at the boy, "well, the other Doctor. Or Smith. It's complicated and boring. Anyway, who cares, it's your birthday!"

"Yay!" the young boy cheered, still in his pyjamas.

"Yay! Now, have you been getting up very early and jumping on the bed?"

Yes, really high."  
"I expect chocolate for breakfast. "

"If you don't feel sick by mid-morning, you're noting doing it right." Star added with a grin.

"Now, I think you want to speak to dad."

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes!" the boy jumped on the spot and Star laughed at how excited he was, "Daddy?"

"Jimmy," Star walked over to the man who stood in shock, "What does the other Jimmy matter now? You're both the same dad, aren't you?" the Doctor and the ganger Doctor were both her dad, what made Jimmy and ganger Jimmy different to that.

"Come on, Adams waiting."

"Daddy?" Adam called as there was another quake, "Daddy, what's that rumbly noise? What's going on, daddy? Daddy?"

Ganger Jimmy ran from the room.

"You've tricked him into an act of weakness." Ganger Jen glared at both Star and the ganger Doctor.

"No," the ganger Doctor shook his head, "we've helped him into an act of humanity. Anyone else like the sound of that? Act of humanity."

"Dicken, drain the acid well in crypt one." Ganger Cleaves ordered, he left, following orders.

"Don't you dare!" ganger Jen shouted.

"I've had it with this! What's the point in this ridiculous war? Look at you, Jen. You were a sweet kid. Look at you now. Stuff of nightmares, I don't want my world populated by monsters."

"You can't stop the factory from melting down 'boss'. I'll take revenge on humanity with or without you."

"It doesn't have to be about revenge." The Doctor told her, "It can be so much better than that."

She stormed from the room with Adams hologram calling out for his daddy for a few minutes until Jimmy's ganger entered again with the originals, Amy and the Doctor but no original Jimmy.

"Daddy, it's me!" Adam cheered, seeing who he thought was his father, not a clue that he was a ganger.

"What happened?" Star whispered to the Doctor.

"Um…" he scratched the back of his neck, "he got hit by acid in the acid room where ganger Jen trapped us by tricking Rory. He died."

"Hey, sunshine!" ganger Jimmy laughed nervously, "What are you up to?"

"Opening all my presents." Adam grinned.

"Haha, good lad…"

"Okay!" Star cut in, "We need to go!" she walked over to the hologram of Adam, "guess what? Daddy's coming home today!"

"Yay!" Adams gave an excited little dance which made ganger Jimmy and Star smile.

"Best present in the world."

"Now we need to move." The Doctor shouted and the hologram cut out and they ran out of the room and down the tunnels, looking for the TARDIS.

~.~

They stopped when they came across a misshapen, elongated ganger Jen.

"Run!" Star cried and they turned back the way them came as ganger Jen chased them on all fours.

They ran into another room and the roof groaned.

"Roof's going to give." The ganger Doctor remarked.

Dicken and his ganger closed the metal door. "We have to stop her. This door doesn't lock," the ganger said.

"No, but the far one does." Dicken realised and ran to lock the far door but got attacked by ganger Jen. His ganger screamed hearing him scream. Ganger Cleaves and the 'ganger' Doctor ran to help hold the door.

"Here she comes." The Doctor smiled, looking up at the roof.

At that moment the TARDIS fell through the roof.

"Oh, she loves making an entrance!" Star laughed.

The Doctor opened the doors, "Move!"

"Go, go, go, go!" the Doctor by the door ushered them on.

"Get on board!" Cleaves ordered them, "go!"

"Im not leaving!" Cleaves argued.

"Go!"

Cleaves ran into the TARDIS.

"Now's our chance." Amy looked at the Doctor by the door.

"I have to stay," the Doctor grunted, "hold this door closed. Give you time to dematerialise."

"Oh, don't be crazy. Ok, what happens to you?"  
"Well, this place is just about to explode. But I can stop her."

"Both of you can survive this, ok?"

"Or perhaps you think I should stay instead," the ganger Doctor stepped up, "Mr Smith?"

"No, of course not." She shook her head, it wasn't that he was a ganger but, it was Star she was actually thinking about now, "at least think of Star!" she gestured to the girl who stood at the TARDIS door, watching, "She's your daughter! You can't just leave her!" she turned back to the ganger, "and you are amazing and yeah, I misjudged you, but you're not him. Im sorry. But Star needs her real dad."

"Amy they swapped shoes," Star walked over.

"Im the Doctor." The one closer to the TARDIS said.

"And im the flesh." The one at the door told her.

"You can't be…" Amy blinked, she turned to the ganger Doctor holding the door, "you're the real him."

"No, im not," he denied, "and I haven't been all along."

"What?"

"Im the original Doctor, Amy." The Doctor near the TARDIS insisted, "We had to know if we were truly the same. It was important, vital, we learn about the Flesh. And we could only do that though your eyes."

Amy ran and hugged the ganger Doctor, "I never thought it possible."

"What?" the ganger looked at her.

"You're twice the man I thought you were."

"Push, Amy." He whispered to her, "but only when she tells you to."

Ganger Jen banged on the door.

"Amy, come on!" Rory called.

Amy rushed past the Doctor and Star and into the TARDIS.

"Well, my death arrives, I suppose." The ganger remarked.

"But this one, we're not invited to." The Doctor remarked, thinking back to what Amy had said.

"What?"

"Nothing." Star waved him off, "your molecular memory CAN survive this. It might not be the end." She took the sonic and chucked it to him.

"If I turn up to nick all your biscuits, you'll know you were right." The ganger chuckled.

"Not my biscuits!" she glared him down playfully.

The Doctor exchanged a nod with his ganger.

Star looked at ganger Cleaves, "Are you staying?"

"This is my factory." She determined, "im not going anywhere."

"Foreman Miranda Cleaves, marvellous!" the ganger Doctor kissed her head, "Beware of imitations."

"Clear out of here, the lot of you!"

They ran to the TARDIS and dematerialised.

~.~

The TARDIS had stabilised the ganger for good, they were now 'real' people.

They'd dropped Jimmy off home for his sons' birthday, and Star had given him a red balloon to give to the boy.

The Doctor had given Cleaves a small vial to help with her blood clot.

They'd then gone to the crews company building and to a room where they heard people talking, and they'd gotten the gangers to try and get them to stop harming the Flesh. Cleaves and the ganger Dicken and gone in the room to sort it all out.

"You ok?" Amy nudged the Doctor.

"I said breathe, Pond, remember?" he asked her, "well, breathe."

"Why?"

"Breathe."

She suddenly doubled over and gasped, "Ohh! Whoa! Oh!"

Rory rushed to her side, "what's wrong with her?"

"Get her into the TARDIS." Star ordered softly.

The Doctor strode into the TARDIS as Star helped Rory help Amy in; she closed the doors behind them.

"What's happening to her?" Rory demanded.

"Contractions." The Doctor stated.

"Contractions?"

"She's going into labour."

"Did he say…?" Amy shook her head, "No, of course he didn't. Rory, I don't like this. Ow!" she bent over and gripped her stomach.  
"Amy," Star called to her softly, "You're pregnant."

"We needed to see the Flesh in its early days. That's why I scanned it." the Doctor continued, "that's why we were there in the first place. We were going to drop you of for fish and chips but things happened and there was stuff and shenanigan."

"What a beautiful word." Star smiled, dreamily, "Shenanigans. Shenanigans."

"Its hurts!" Amy whimpered.

"But you're ok?" Rory frowned.

"Breathe." The Doctor instructed, "We needed enough information to block the signal to the flesh."

"What signal?" Amy gasped in pain.  
"The signal to you."

"Doctor?"

"Rory," Star gently pulled him away, "you need to stand away from her."

"Why?" he demanded, but allowed her to pull him off, trusting her.

"Given what we've learned, I'll be as humane as I can," the Doctor told them, "but I need to do this, stand away."

"Doctor, im frightened," Amy cried, "im properly, properly scared."

"Don't be. Hold on. We're coming for you, I swear."  
"We swear." Star corrected, "We WILL find you. No matter what. Promise." She crossed her hearts.

"Im right here!" Amy insisted.

"No, you're not." The Doctor slowly shook his head, "You haven't been here for a long, long time."

The Doctor held the sonic up to her.

"Oh, no!"

The Doctor clicked the sonic and Amy melted into Flesh.

Star squeezed Rory tightly as he stared horrified at where his wife used to be.


	9. a good man goes to war

Star stood in the TARDIS looking at the monitor screen that was split in half, one half had the Doctor sneaking around the Cyberships planting bombs, while the other featured Rory making his why to the control one of the Cybership. She'd managed to hack into the Cyberships security, made it easier for them, keeping tabs on them and warning them of any approaching dangers, she had wanted to be the one to plant the bombs but the Doctor had insisted that they would need her in the TARDIS.

She watched as Rory walk past a lock door, his cape billowing behind him, he used the Doctors sonic on the door.

The Cybermen had finally realised they had an intruded on board.

Rory strode into the room in his centurion outfit Star had asked him to wear because 'it was more fun' and it was fun to see him in that, she had also tried to get him to wear heels, but he had refused. He spoke to the Cybermen asking them calmly where his wife was, as they knew the Cybermen monitored the entire quadrant. They had demanded to hear the Doctors message before his own so the Doctor had set of one of the bombs.

"Oh, brilliant, Rory!" Star cheered to herself, as the Doctor re-entered.

"Did it work?" he asked walking up to the console.

"I believe it did."

~.~

The TARDIS materialised in the drawing room of a Victorian house.

"Vastra!" Star gave the Silurian a hug as she and her human maid, Jenny entered the room.

"Star!" Vastra smiled, hugging her back, "You're a lot different than last time."

"Well…regeneration, but it's a good one." She winked, and turned to the human maid next to the Silurian, "And you must be Jenny."

"Please to meet you ma'am." Jenny nodded.

"Are we going to be 'sir' and 'ma'am' again?" the Doctor nearly whined from the console.

"Well…Strax will salute." Star called back to him.

He grimaced at the thought of getting the Sontaran, before walking to the doors and looked at Vastra, seriously, "We need you help…" Vastra nodded, casting a curious look at the centurion at the console.

~.~

"Doctor," Strax saluted, "Star."

"Oh don't salute," the Doctor did whine this time.

"Might I inquire…"

"Yes," Star cut him off, "Your honour will be restored."

"Don't you like being a nurse?" the Doctor frowned.

"He's a nurse?" Rory looked down at him.

"I am a soldier," Strax glared at him.

"So Strax, how do you feel about bringing down an army?" Star smirked.

"The odds?"  
"We're horrible out-numbered, out-resourced and out-weaponed." The Doctor stated.

"Sounds delightful."

"I know right!" Star jumped on the balls of her feet.

~.~

River Song swayed as she walked down the halls of Stormcage, dressed in a late Victorian Styled dress, she walked to the phone rolling her eyes as the alarms blared, "Oh, turn it off," she rolled her eyes, "I'm breaking in, not out. This is River Song, back in her cell...oh, and I'll take breakfast at the usual time. Thank you!" she hung up and glided across the floor before stopping seeing someone in the shadows, "Hello."

"Hi," Star stepped out of the shadows. "Sorry, not quite sure if you recognise me. What with the time lines and everything. And the whole regeneration thing. But into a ginger, love it...! Daddy's jealous, of course, but, I don't care…"

"Star," River cut in, laughing slightly, "You're rambling."

"Yeah, I've been told I tend to do that…"

"I've just been with you and the Doctor, you two took me ice skating on the River Thames in 1914 the last of the great frost fairs, and got Stevie Wonder to sing happy birthday for me under London Bridge."

"Happy Birthday," Star smiled, though she frowned underneath. Rivers birthday was today and Rory and Amy's baby was born today. Coincidence.

"Thank you."

Star sobered quickly, "They've taken Amy and her and Rory's baby. We're getting people together, going after them, we need you."

"I can't," she whispered, "Not yet, anyway."

"Why not?" she demanded.

"This is the battle of Demons Run. The Doctors darkest hour. He'll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much further…and he's taking you with him. And...I can't be with you till the very end…because today's the day you find out who I am." She entered her cell.

Star stormed back into the TARDIS, a tantrum coming on at how unhelpful the woman was being.

~.~

The TARDIS materialised in the Maldovariun and the Doctor collected a large blue alien called Dorium, he had tried to find a way out of their debt but they needed him, he had contact with the Headless Monks, he would know where their base is.

Now that they had everyone they wanted they headed to Demons Run where Star and the Doctor both put on the hoods of the Headless monks and snuck in and stood with the monks.

"On this day," a man, Colonel Manton, shouted to everyone in the room, "in this place, the Doctor will fall." the soldiers all cheered. "The man who talks, the man who reasons, the man who lies, will meet the perfect answer. Some of you have wondered why we have allied ourselves wit the Headless Monks. Perhaps you should have wondered why we call them Headless. It's time you knew what these guys have sacrificed for faith. As you all know, it is a Level 1 Heresy, punishable by death, to lower the hood of a Headless Monk. But by the Devine grant of the Papal Mainframe herself, on this one and only occasion, I can show you the truth. Because these guys can never be..." he lowered the hood of one of the Monks to reveal a stump where the head should meet the neck. "Persuaded. They NEVER can be..." he lowered the hood of the second monk, "Afraid." he approached the third monk, "And they can never, ever be..." he lifted the hood of the third monk to reveal...

"Boo!" Star laughed.

"Surprise!" the Doctor grinned around lowering his own hood as he stood next to her, "Hello everyone! Guess who!" he walked to the centre of the stage, "Please point at gun at us if it helps you relax." all the soldiers aimed their guns at the Time Lords and two monks pulled out their energised swords. "You're only human."

Manton aimed his gun at them. "You will both come with me, right now!"

"I've got a bet to win here," Star smiled at him, "3 minutes and 40 seconds."

The Doctor turned and looked up to a large glass window where Amy was, "Amelia Pond! Get you coat!" and with that they put their hoods back on as the lights went out and when they turned back on, they were gone.

"We're not phantoms." The Doctor came over a speaker.

"Doctor?" Manton looked around.

"We're not tricksters." Star agreed teleporting behind the man before quickly teleporting away again.

"Star?"

"We're monks." The Doctor finished over the speaker.

"Show yourselves!"

"It's him!" a soldier yelled, aiming his gun at the monks, "He's here!" the soldiers aimed their guns at the monks, who charged their swords. "It's him!"

"Weapons down!" Manton ordered, "Do not fire!" one of the monks raised his hand and energy shot from it, killing the soldier, "No!" the monks and soldiers began fighting each other. "Doctor! Star! Nobody discharge their weapon in this room. Nobody!" the Doctor, still hidden under their robes, soniced the door open, "Do not fire! Stop, wait! Listen to me!" he snuck out the door, not noticing a young woman following, "Im disarming my weapon pack," he removed the pack from his gun, "Monks, I do this in good faith! I am now unarmed." He placed in on the floor, "all of you, discharge you weapon packs. The Doctor is trying to make fools of us…we are soldiers of god, we are not fools! We are not fools!"

"We are not fools!" the soldiers chanted, doing the same with their weapons.

"Oh, of course you're not." A mocking voice called, Manton looked to see Star, with her hood down, smirking at them all, "because only fools would discharge their weapons for an army that isn't there." Suddenly the army found themselves surrounded by Silurian's and Judoon. "Woops!"

"This base is now under our command." Strax appeared next to Manton.

"I have a fleet out there!" Manton glared at Star, knowing she was a far worse threat than the Sontaran, "If Demons Run goes down, there's an automatic distress call."

"Oh, woops! We didn't know that," she faked shocked, before calling out, "What do you think of that, old man?"

"What do I think?" the Doctor came over the speakers, and they looked up to see him standing on a raised platform overlooking them all, speaking into a microphone, "Not if we knock out your communication array." He smirked, "And you've got incoming!"

"Danny Boy to the Doctor." A pilot came over the comm. "Danny Boy to the Doctor."

"Give em hell, Danny Boy!" the Doctor replied, putting his arms out, pretending to fly a plane.

A moment later Danny Boy reported back, "Target destroyed."

The Doctor laughed and winked down at Star who beamed up at him.

Manton hung his head in defeat.

"Don't slump; it's bad for your spine!" Strax remarked.

~.~

Strax escorted Manton at gunpoint to one of the control rooms where Vastra and Jenny had cut the lights for them. Star sat in the chair, the Doctor standing behind her as Vastra, Jenny and Dorium stood to the side.

"All airlocks sealed, resistance neutralised!" Strax reported.

"Looks like I lost the bet," Star pouted, "3 minutes, 42 seconds."

"Colonel Manton, you will give the order for you men to withdraw."

"No, Colonel Manton...I want you to tell your men to run away." the Doctor remarked, darkly.

"You what?" Manton blinked.

"Those words. Run away. I want you to be famous for those exact words. I want people to call you Colonel Run-Away. I want children laughing outside your door, cos they've found the house of Colonel Run-Away." he stood and pointed a finger at him, "And when people come to you and ask if trying to get to me though people I love...is any way a good idea...I want you to tell them your name." he took a breath, calming down, "Oh, look! I'm angry. That's new. Im not sure what's going to happen now."

"It's me who normally gets angry." Star added.

"The anger of a good man is not a problem," the eye patch woman, Kovarian, remarked as two Silurian's led her in, "Goodman have too many rules."

The Doctor slowly turned to her, "Good men done need rules," he walked over to her, "Today is not the day to find out why I have so many."

"Give the order," Kovarian turned to Manton, as the Doctor pulled back, surprised, "Give the order Colonel Run-Away."

The Doctor smiled crookedly and headed out the room, Star skipped out after him, sticking her tongue out at Kovarian and Colonel Run-Away as she past.

~.~

The strolled through the base and towards the nursery where Amy had been locked up. They were just about to walk in when they spotted the humans kissing, Rory holding their baby girl.

"Urg, kissing and crying." The Doctor grimaced, "We'll be back in a bit."

"Oi!" Rory called back to them, "you two! Get in here. Now."

They ran over and joined them. The Doctor smiled and pointed at their baby.

"My daughter. What do you think?" Rory smiled down at his baby.

"Hello," Star cooed, "Oh, you are a beautiful girl, aren't you?"

"Hello," the Doctor smiled, "Hello, baby."

"Melody," Amy corrected.

"Melody! Hello, Melody Pond!"

"Melody Williams." Rory corrected this time.

"…is a geography teacher." Amy finished, "Melody Pond is a superhero!"

The Doctor leaned over, listening to Melody gurgle, "well, yes, I suppose she does smell nice. Never really sniffed her, maybe I should give it a go. Amelia Pond, c'mere!" he pulled her into a hug.

"Doctor!" Amy laughed.

"We're sorry we were so long." Star added as the Doctor sniffed her.

"It's ok. I knew you were coming. The three of you. My boys and my…my girl."

Melody squealed and Star giggled, "Don't worry, Melody, she's still all yours. And I think its best to call her mummy, not big milk thing."

"And she would know." The Doctor added in a whisper.

"Ok, what are you doing?" Amy eyed them.

"We speak baby."

"No, you don't."

"We speak everything…don't we, Melody Pond?"

Melody gurgled and the Doctor and Star straightened their bow ties, "It's cool!"

Vastra entered the room, leaning on the railing, "Doctor! Star! Take a look. They're leaving." The Doctor walked to the window and watched as the soldiers marched away, "Demons Run is ours without a drop of blood spilled. My friend, you have never risen higher!"

Star stiffened at her words, recalling what River had said, but she kept quiet.

~.~

Amy exited the TARIDS, comforting Melody.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Rory asked as she walked over to where he and Star stood.

"She doesn't like the TARDIS noise," she remarked, "I asked him to turn something off, but he was all…"

'I don't want to punch a hole in the space-time continuum?'" Star guessed.

"Yup."

"Star!" Jenny called as she Star and Strax walked over, "the Judoon have escorted the clerics out of the quadrant, Spitfires have returned to their own time and Captain Avery and his men…" she caught sight of Melody crying, "is she alright?"

"Yes, she's just crying." Amy said.

"Give her to me, human fool." Strax reached for the baby, "she needs changing."

"I just changed her. I think she might need a feed."  
"She's tired." Star corrected.

"A feed, of course." Strax nodded, "I'll take care of everything," he stepped forwards.

"I really don't think you will, actually." Rory frowned.

"I have gen-spliced myself for all nursing duties. I can produce magnificent quantities of lactic fluid."

Star stomped her foot on the ground and they all looked at her, "She's just tired."

At that moment the Doctor came out of the TARDIS carrying an old-fashioned cot. "Sorry Melody." He apologised to the baby, "They're just not listening."

"No one listens to me," Star huffed.

"What's this?" Amy smiled as she looked at the cot.

"Very pretty, according to your daughter." The Doctor said.

"It's a…it's a cot." Rory observed.

"No flies on the Roman. Give her here. Hey!"

Amy handed Melody over, "There we go."

"But where would you get a cot?" Rory shook his head as the Doctor placed Melody in the cot.

"It's old." Amy looked at it, "Really old. Doctor…? Star?"

"No, it's real." The Doctor spoke to Melody. "It's my hair."  
"Who slept in here?"

"Doctor!" Vastra called over the speakers, "We need you in the main control room."

"Be right there!" the Doctor replied, "things to do…ive still got to work out what this base is for. We can't leave till we know." He walked off.

Amy followed him, as Star cooed over Melody who gurgled at her, "But this is where I was? The whole time I though I was on the TARDIS, I was really here?"

"Centurion," The Doctor called to him, "Permission to hug?"

"Be aware, I do have a sword." Rory warned.

"At all times," he hugged Amy and saluted to Rory, "You were on the TARDIS too…your heart, your mind, your soul. But physically, yes, you were still in this place."

"And when I saw that face looking through the hatch…that woman looking at me…"

"Reality bleeding though. They must have taken you quite a while back. Just before America…"

"That's probably enough hugging now." Rory cut in.

"Aw is Rory feeling left out?" Star laughed, "Come on, Roman." She pulled him into a hug.

He turned to the Doctor as he broke away from his hug with Star, "So her flesh avatar was with us all that time. But that means there were projecting a control signal right into the TARDIS. Wherever we were in time and space."

"They're very clever."

"Who are?" Amy asked.

"Whoever wants our baby." Rory answered.

"But why do they want her?"

"Exactly!" the Doctor snapped his fingers at her.

"Is there anything you're not telling us?" Rory frowned at them, "you knew Amy wasn't real, you never said."  
"Well, we couldn't be sure that weren't listening."

"But you always hold out on us. Please, not this time." Amy begged, "It's our baby. Tell is something. One little thing."

"It's mine." Star admitted.

"What is?" Rory asked

"The cot. It's my cot. I slept in there."  
They looked over at the cot, looking at the mobile hanging over it.

"Oh, my god." Amy smiled "Stars first stars."

"Im amazed you've still got it." Star leaned into the Doctor chest.

"Yeah, well," he shrugged her off, "you never know if a cots gonna be needed. Are you going to stay here?" he asked her quietly.

"Just in case." She nodded.

"Be careful." He warned.

"You too."

~.~

"Drop your weapons." The heard Strax a few minutes later, "State your name rank and intent!" he marched a young girl over to them, "I found it listening at the door!"

"I heard her talking…this is a trap." The girl, Lorna, Star recognised her, told them, "Why would I lie to you?"  
Rory stepped forwards, "Well, you might want to take a look at your uniform."

"The only reason I joined the cleric was to meet the Doctor again."

"You want to meet him, so you joined an army to fight him?" Jenny asked, sceptical.

"Well, how else do you meet a great warrior?"

"Daddy's not a warrior," Star shook her head, "The chose the Doctor because a doctor helps people. He didn't chose it from the Gamma Forest language."

The lights went out and Lorna looked around, "It's starting. Please listen to me."

"Confirmed. No life forms registering on this base," Strax reported, "Except us and the Silurian's."

"The headless monks aren't alive." Lorna stressed, "They don't register as life forms."

"We need to go," Star led Amy to the TARDIS with Melody when a glowing light appeared around it.

"What's that?" Amy asked as Vastra and Dorium joined them.

Star walked and reached out to touch it, "Force field."

"Can you break though it?" Rory asked, now on alert.

"Not without a sonic device," She shook her head, "Although..." she flung her hands out and caused a few ripples in it, "No. No, it can't."

A loud click echoed around them.

"And those are the doors...locking." Lorna glared at them.

"Apparently were not leaving," Vastra remarked.

And then they heard chanting.

"Is that the monks?" Rory frowned.

"Oh, dear lord..." Dorium breathed, "That's the attack prayer."

"Rory, get Amy and Melody out of her." Star commanded.

"Quick," Rory turned and led them away, "Come with me."

"Commander Strax!" Vastra called to him.

"I'm trying to seal off this area of the lighting grid," he replied and the lights came back on.

"This is where we'll make our stand. Clear line of sight on all approaches."

The monks approached swords out as charged.

"Centurion, you're needed!" Vastra shouted to Rory as he kept Amy safe.

Lorna ran to a nearby crate and looked though it, "There should be some plasma pistols somewhere. They left everything."

"Then find them, boy!" Strax instructed.

"She's definitely a girl," Vastra commented to Jenny.

"Oh, stop it!" Jenny rolled her eyes.

Dorium walked toward the monks, "We don't have to fight. I'm friends to the monks, they know me."

"And they know you just sold them out to the Doctor." Rory reminded him as he came back.

"Oh, they'll understand. It's only me, only silly old me." he held his arms out wide, "You understand, don't you?"

"Mr Maldovariun, get back here!" Vastra shouted.

"Dorium, come back!" Star cried.

"Arm yourself, fool!" Strax shouted to him.

"Dorium!" Rory yelled.

But it was too late.

There was a slicing noise and something hit the floor.

"Mr Maldovar?" Vastra asked, hesitantly.

"Dorium?" Rory tried.

Lorna returned, handing them plasma pistols. They watched as the monks walked closer, a headless Dorium before them.

"The child!" Vastra cried, "At all costs, protect the child!"

Rory drew his sword in one hand an a pistol in the other as Star stood next to him, a dark glare in her red eyes, as she pulled her dagger out of her boot.

They fought valiantly against the monks.

Star taking out as many monks as she could with her small dagger, jabbing it in their chests. She threw it at one of the monks, distracting it enough for her to teleport directly behind it, grabbing its sword and slicing it into it.

_'Nova!'_ she heard the Doctor call in her mind.

_'What?'_ she gritted her teeth, trying to focus equally on the fight and on him.

_'It's not Melody!'_

_'What do you mean?'_ she tensed, taking out another monk with its own sword, hearing Lorna scream in pain and Strax get stabbed from behind.

_'She's a flesh avatar!'_ he yelled.

Her now green again, eyes widened as she turned to where Rory had taken Amy and was about to go after her, when...

"Rory!" Amy screamed, heartbroken. "RORY!"

She was too late.

She watched Rory run to his wife before she closed her eyes and hung her head...

She slowly looked back up and snapped her eyes open again. Red and full of hatred and anger. She dropped the weapons. No longer needing them.

"Star...?" Vastra asked, cautiously, watching as Star stood perfectly still, the last of the monks drawing all their attention on her, as though realising she was more of a threat.

She waited until they were a few feet away from her, still far enough away that their swords couldn't hit her.

"There's an old saying, Vastra, such a good saying, and that saying is...Let it go!" She let out a small scream and blasted the monks to smithereens as the power emerged from her chest. The first time that had ever happened, she didn't even know how she knew she could do it. She just...knew.

She closed her eyes again and let out a breath, calming down and turned to see everyone staring at her, eyes wide and in fear, and she realised, that was the first time she had actually shown just how strong she was, and it was growing, she was growing stronger everyday, "Amy…" She whispered the ginger, "I am so sorry."

~.~

The Doctor ran in, shouting, "Amy, she's not real! Melody, she's a flesh avatar. Amy! Amy." he stopped at the sight surrounding him, Rory tending to a dying Strax, he walked over to where Amy sat on a crate, pale and heartbroken as Jenny sat on one side, trying to calm her down, Star on the other, staring at nothingness.

"So they took her anyway." Amy whispered, "All this was for nothing."

"I am so…sorry." The Doctor breathed moving to hug her but she backed away.

"Amy…it's not his fault." Jenny told her softly.

"I know, I know." She sobbed. Rory put his armed around his wife, doing his best to comfort her.

"Doctor," Vastra called, "there's someone who wants to speak to you. Her name is Lorna, she came to warn us." He walked over and scanned her with the sonic, squatting down next to her, rubbing his face in frustration, "hey, hello." He offered a smile as she opened her eyes.

"Doctor!" she breathed.

"You helped my friends, thank you."

"I met you one. In the Gamma Forests. You don't remember me."

"Hey, of course I remember," he held her face in his hands, "I remember everyone. Hey, we ran, you, me and Star! Didn't we run, Lorna?"

Her eyes fluttered closed as she died.

"Who was she?" the Doctor turned the Vastra.

"I don't know but she was very brave." Vastra told him.

"They're always brave."

"So, what now? They'd almost certainly have taken her to Earth, raise her in the correct environment."

"It's too late." Star called over, speaking for the first time since the battle.

"You're giving up?" Vastra blinked, looking between them both, "you never do that."

"No. really it's too late." Star walked over and looked over where they're was a bright flash and River appeared.

"Well, then, soldiers, how goes the day?" she asked them.

"Where the hell have you been?" the Doctor demanded, storming over, "Every time you've asked, we have been there. Where the hell were you today?"

"I couldn't have prevented this." She shook her head.

"You could've tried!"

"And so, my love, could you." she looked at Amy and Rory, "I know you're not alright. But hold tight, Amy, because you're going to be."

"You think I wanted this?" the Doctor pointed generally, "I didn't do this. This…this wasn't me!"  
"This was exactly you." she scoffed, "all this, all of it. you make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you'd become this? The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name? Doctor? The word for healer and wise man, throughout the universe we get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forest, the word 'Doctor' means mighty warrior. How far you've come. and now they've taken a child…the child of your best friends…and they're going to turn her into a weapon, just to bring you down. And all this, my love…in fear of you."

"Who are you?" the Doctor eyed her.

"Oh, look, Star it's your cot!" she laughed lightly, "haven't seen that in a very long while."

"River, tell them or I will," Star threatened.  
River smiled slightly at her, "How long have you know?"

"Since I came to ask for your help."

River took the Doctors hand and placed it on the cot, "Can't you read?"

The Doctor looked at the Gallifreyan on the cot and then and River and smiled, "Hello."

"Hello." She smiled back.

He laughed nervously, "But…but that means…"

"Im afraid it does."

"So, how do we look?" Star asked her, as she and the Doctor both straightened their bow ties in sync with each other.

"Amazing."

"We'd better." The Doctor laughed.

"Yes, you'd better."

The Doctor spun around, "Vastra and Jenny, till the next time. Rory and Amy, we'll find your daughter and on our lifes, she will be safe. River, get them all home." He and Star walked to the TARDIS.

"Doctor?" Rory frowned at them, "Star?"

"No!" Amy shouted, "Where are you going? No!"

The Doctor used the sonic to lift the force field and they entered the TARDIS. Star paused at the doorway, laughing as she pointed at River before shaking her head and closing the door behind her, they quickly dematerialised as River told Amy and Rory who she was…and who she was to them.


	10. Lets kill hitler

The Doctor and Star stood, leaning against the TARDIS, in a giant crop circle, watching as an orange car sped towards them and stopping at the end of the circle.

Amy and Rory stepped out of the car, "Seriously?" the Doctor had to ask, pointing to the newspaper he was holding with the headline 'Leadworth's CROP Circle.' They'd spelt out 'Doctor' to grab their attention.

"You never answer you phone." Rory remarked.

"It's his fault," Star blamed, pointing at the Doctor accusingly, "He was trying to 'fix' the phones wiring but it exploded. And I have gotten around to fixing it because we were busy looking for you daughter."  
"So you haven't found her then?" Amy looked to the ground.

The Doctor handed Rory the paper, "Permission?"

"Granted." Rory sighed, "Permission?"  
"Granted." The Doctor pulled Amy into a hug as Rory hugged Star.

"You know who she grows up to be, so you know we WILL find her." The Doctor told her.

"But you haven't yet?" Amy pulled away.

"Hang on," Rory cut in, frowning at the paper, "What's this bit?" he showed them the newspaper with a line though the word ending at the second O.

"That wasn't us."

The Doctor snatched the paper back and tried to locate where it would be. He lowered the paper, with Amy and Rory standing behind him to hear and see a red Corvette heading straight at them. They gave a shout as they dove out of the way. Amy and Rory one way, the Doctor and Star the other.

The car stopped inches away from the TARDIS and a young black woman dressing a black boots, black tights, a black and pink dress and leather vest, stepped out. "You said he was funny, you never said he was hot."

"Mels?" Rory gaped, walking to the woman with Amy.

"What are you doing here?" Amy demanded.

"Following you, what do you think?" she answered with a rhetorical question.

"Um, where did you get the car?" Rory asked.

"It's mine…" she replied…when they heard sirens in the distance, "ish."

"Oh, Mels, not again?" Amy groaned.

"You can't keep doing this. You'll end up in prison." Rory added.

"Sorry, hello," the Doctor got up, "Doctor not following this. Doctor very lost. You never said I was hot?!"  
"Never mind that," Star rolled her eyes, "Be a good boy and give us a hand."

He looked down to see Star lying perfectly happy on the ground, soaking in the sunlight, rolling his eyes at her he pulled her up.

"Is that the phone box?" Mels ignored the Doctor comment and pointed at the TARDIS, "the bigger-on-the-inside phone box?" she caressed the TARDIS, "Time travel, that's just brilliant." The Doctor leaned back on the TARDIS, looking at Mels, "Yeah, I've heard a lot about you. Im their best mate."

"Then why don't we know you?" the Doctor eyed her, "I danced with everyone at the wedding."

"I tried to stop him," Star commented.

"The woman were all brilliant, the men were a bit shy."

"I don't do wedding," Mels waved them off and the sirens sounds got closer, "and that's me out of time," she pulled out a gun and aimed it at Star.

"Mels!" Amy gasped.

"For god sake!" Rory cried.

"What are you doing?"

"I need out of here, now!"

Star pulled out her dagger and aimed it at Mels.

"Anywhere in particular?" the Doctor asked, knowing that if either of them made a move, the other would

~.~

The Doctor and Star were piloting the TARDIS and a shot ran out as chaos endured. The lights in the room turned red and stream escaped from the newly punctured hole in the rotor, gas invading the room.

"You shot her!" Star cried, trying to stop the gas from leaking.

The Doctor examined the hole, "You shot my TARDIS!"

"Our TARDIS!" Star corrected, she'd noticed that when he was angry or upset he tended to say it was his TARDIS.

"You shot the console!"

"It's your fault!" Mels blamed.

"How's it my fault!"

"You said guns didn't work in this place. You said were in a state of temporal grace."

The Doctor helped Star, both frantically working the controls, "That was a clever lie, you idiot! Anyone could tell that was a clever lie!"

There was a jolt as they crashed through a window and landed in a room.

"Out!" Star shouted, "Out! Out! Everyone!"

"Don't breathe the smoke, just get out!" the Doctor ushered them out.

"Where are we?" Amy looked around.

"A room." the Doctor answered.

"What room?" Rory asked.

"I don't know! I haven't memories every room in the universe. That's Stars job. And we had yesterday off."

"Well I don't know every room because someone left me behind for 200 years!" Star accused.

The Doctor winced, "I said I was sorry!" he noticed Mels standing at the open TARDIS doors, "Mels, don't go in there!" he grabbed her gun.

"Oi!" she glared at him.

"Bad smoke! Don't breathe the bad, bad smoke. Bad, deadly smoke, because somebody shot my TARDIS!"

"Our TARDIS!" Star corrected again.

"Doctor. Star." Rory called from where he knelt next to an older man in glasses lying in the floor, stiff, "This guy, I think he's hurt..." he began to frown, "No, hang on. No, he's...he's fine."

The Doctor placed the gun in the fruit bowl on the desk and a man appeared from behind the desk, his back to them, "Ooh, hello!" The Doctor blinked, "Is this your office? Had a sort of collision with my vehicle. Faults in both sides, let's say no more about..." the man turned to reveal Hitler, "it."

"Is that...?" Amy frowned as she and Rory walked over, "No, it can be, Doctor?"

"Thank you," Hitler told them, "Whoever you are, I think you have just saved my life."

"Believe us...it was an accident." Star breathed, staring at the man in disgust.

Hitler walked over to the TARDIS, "What is this thing?"

"What did he mean we saved his life?" Amy hissed to the Time lords, "We could not have saved Hitler."

"You see?" the Doctor stormed over to Mels, "You see, time travel. It never goes to plan."

"This box, what is it?" Hitler asked.

"It's a police telephone box from London, England." the Doctor walked over to him, "That's right Adolf the British are coming."

Hitler looked over, when he saw something from behind the Doctor, "No, stop him!" he pulled out a gun and fired, Star pulling the Doctor down as he hit the man who had just stood up.

Rory rushed over and punched Hitler on the chin, knocking him to the floor, he picked up the gun and aimed it at him, "Sit still, shut up." Hitler put his hands up in surrender.

"Are you okay?" Amy asked the man, helping him up.

"Yes, yes." He nodded, "I think he missed."

"He was going to kill me." Hitler defended.

"Shut up, Hitler!" Rory snapped.

"Rory, take Hitler and put him in the cupboard over there." Star told him.

"Right, putting Hitler in the cupboard. Cupboard, Hitler, Hitler, cupboard." He pulled Hitler to his feet, "Come on."

"But I am the Fuhrer!" he argued.

"Right, in you go!" he shoved him into the cupboard and slammed the door in his face.

"Are you okay?" the Doctor asked before the man fell backwards into a faint.

"I think he just fainted." Rory remarked.

"Fake!" Star called and Amy and Rory looked at her, "What? It was too stiff to be real." She frowned as she saw Mels clutching her stomach, "Mels, you okay?"

"Hitler…" she panted, "lousy shot." Her knees gave way and she fell to the floor.

"Mels!" Amy ran over, "Mels!"

"Rory!" Star shouted as they ran over.

"No, no, no! I've got to stop the bleeding!" he checked where she was shot and tried to stop the bleeding as Amy stroked her hair.

"How bad is it?" Amy asked, "Rory, what can we do?"

"Just keep her conscious! Stay with us, Mels."

"Hey, look at me." The Doctor tried comforting the woman, "Just hold on."

"I used to dream about you," Mels admitted, "all those stories Amy told me."

"What stories?" Star asked her, trying to distract her, "Tell us the stories. Vampires in Venice, that's a good one."

"When I was little, I was going to marry you."

The Doctor hesitated and looked at Star who gave a small, if sad, nod, it wasn't like it would happen, the woman was dying, "How about, if you live, I'll marry you, deal? Deal?"

"You'll have to put up with me though," Star tried to lighten the mood.

"You'll need to ask my parents permission." She told them.

"Soon as you're well." The Doctor agreed, "I'll get on the phone."

"Might as well do it know, since they're both right here."

The Doctor, Star, Amy and Rory exchanged a glance.

"Penny in the air," Mels smirked as he hands began to glow, "Penny drops."

The Doctor backed away.

"What the hells going on?" Rory shook his head.

"Keep back," Star warned, gently tugging him and Amy away from the woman.

Mels stood and looked at her glowing hands, "Last time I did this I ended up a toddler in the middle of New York..."

"Ok, Doctor, Star, explain what is happening?" Amy looked at them as they backed towards the desk, "Please!"

"Mels." the Doctor began, staring at the woman in shock, "Short for..."

"Melody." Mels nodded.

"Yeah, I named my daughter after her." Amy nodded.

"You named your daughter after your daughter." the Doctor said.

"Awkward." Star mumbled.

"Took me years to find you two." Mels remarked, "I'm so glad I did. And, you see, it all worked out in the end, didn't it? You got to raise me after all."

"You're Melody?" Amy blinked.

"But, if she's Melody," Rory frowned, "That means she's also..."

"Oh, shut up, dad!" Mels rolled her eyes, "I'm focusing on a dress size." Mels screamed, throwing her head back and arms out, the regeneration energy took over. The Doctor pulled Amy and Rory back as Star ran for the chair by the cupboard.

Mels shook violently, she hadn't really focused on a dress size, but more wanting to prove she was their daughter...River Song stood before them, "Right, let's see, then." she looked down at her new body, not noticing Star run back over, trying not to look suspicious, "it's all going on down there, isn't it? The hair!" she ran to a mirror, running her hands through her hair, "Oh, the hair, it just does stop, does it? Look at that! Everything changes! Oh, but I love it. I love it!" she turned back to them, "I'm all sort of...mature!" she placed her foot on a fallen table, "Hello Benjamin!"

"Who's Benjamin?" the Doctor whispered to Amy.

"The teeth!" Melody turned back to the mirror, "The teeth! The teeth!" she ran back over, "Oh, look at them!" she pushed herself on the Doctor, forcing him back against the desk, "Watch out that bow tie! Excuse me, you lot, I need to weigh myself!" she ran out the room, leaving Star, the Doctor, Amy and Rory, leaning against the desk, stunned.

"That's Melody?" Amy blinked.

"That's River song." Rory breathed.

Melody appeared in the doorway, "Who's River Song?"

They all looked over at her, Star offering, "...Spoilers?"

"Spoilers? What spoilers? Hang on, just something I have to check!" she ran back out the room.

"Is anyone else finding today just a tiny bit difficult?" Rory had to ask, "I'm getting a sort of banging in my head."

"Yeah, I think that Hitler in the cupboard." Amy muttered.

"That's not helping."

"This isn't the River Song we know yet," the Doctor remarked, walking to the centre of the room, Star joining him, Amy and Rory following them, "This is her right at the start..."

"She doesn't even know her name." Star added.

"Ah!" they heard Melody from the doorway, "That's magnificent!" they turned to see her leaning with her hand against the door jamb, "I'm going to wear lots of jumpers! Well, now, enough of all that!" she pulled out Hitler's gun and aimed at the Doctor, "Down to business."

"Oh, hello, I thought we were getting married." the Doctor offered her a smile.

"I told you," she walked over to them, "I'm not a wedding person."

"Doctor, what's she doing?" Rory asked.

"What's she programmed to do," Star replied, eying Melody carefully.

"But where'd she get the gun?"

"Hello Benjamin." the Doctor glanced over to the chair where the gun had been, where Melody examined herself.

"You noticed," Melody nodded and fired but the chambers were empty.

"Oh Melody," Star sighed, "I emptied the revolver as you were regenerating, as soon as I knew you were coming."

"We tidied up a bit." the Doctor nodded.

Melody tossed the gun away; "I know you did." she reached into her vest.

"We know you know," the Doctor smirked.

Melody pulled a banana out of her best, "Goodness is killing you going to take all day."

"Why?" he grabbed the banana, "Are you busy?" he handed Star the banana, "Bananas a good." he winked at her.

She laughed and gladly accepted the banana.

"Oh, I'm not complaining." Melody turned and took the letter opener from the desk, trying to swipe at the Doctor.

Star flashed her eyes causing her to drop it. "Why didn't you kill him back in the cornfield?"

"We'd only just met," Melody replied, slightly hurt as the remark, "I'm a psychopath. I'm not rude." she spun and grabbed the actual gun and fired at the Doctor who held up the clip.

"You're not a psychopath!" Amy walked over, "Why would she be a psychopath?"

"Oh, mummy, mummy, pay attention," Melody walking in a circle around the room, as the Doctor did the same, "I was trained and conditioned for one purpose. I was born to kill the Doctor."

"Demons Run, remember?" the Doctor reminded her, "This is what they were building, my bespoke psychopath."

Melody smirked, "I'm all yours sweetie," she leaned forwards and kissed him.

"Only River Song gets to call me that."

"And who is River Song?"

"An old friend of ours."

"Stupid name." she walked to the window, "Oh, look at that!" she stepped onto the sill, "Berlin on the eve of war. A whole world about year itself apart." she turned back to them, "Now that's my kind of town. Mum, dad, don't follow me. And yes, that is a warning."

"So, we don't get a warning then?" Star looked over.

"No need, my loves. The deed is done and so is he." she nodded to the Doctor as his legs wobbled, Star ran to his side as he gripped his chest in pain.

"Doctor," Amy ran over, "What's wrong?"

"What have you done?" the Doctor looked at her, "River..."

"Oh, River, River, River..." Melody rolled her eyes, "More than a friend i think..."

"What have you done?!" Star glared at her as the Doctor collapsed to the floor.

"It was never a good to kill you, Doctor, the man of peace who understands every kind of warfare except, perhaps, the cruellest," she smiled as the Doctors eyes widened and he ran a finger along his lips, "Kiss, kiss," she blew him a kiss and jumped out the window.

"What's wrong with you?" Rory asked, "What's she done?"

"Poisoned him..."Star breathed, holding the Doctor as he wheezed, "Poison of the Judas trees."

"But I'm fine," the Doctor waved of their concern.

"You are not fine!"

"Well, no, I'm dying, but I've got a plan."

"What plan?" Amy asked.

"Not dying. See I'll be fine." he looked up at Star who ran her hands through his hair, _"I promise, Nova, I swear..."_

She closed her eyes and nodded, not believing him one bit.

"What can we do to help?" Rory asked.

The Doctor handed Amy the sonic, "Take this! The TARDIS can home in on it. Now, go, get after her!"

Rory nodded and ran to the window as Amy helped Star get the Doctor to the TARDIS; "You said the smoke was deadly!" she reminded them.

"The smokes fine," the Doctor waved her off, "The poison will kill me first," he almost flinched as how much tighter Star was gripping his arm, "Now, get after River!" he shoved Amy off as Star unlocked the TARDIS doors, she was thankful that the old girl loved her so much that she didn't require a key, the doors would just open for her.

"Extractor fans on!" she called and the smoke began to be sucked away.

"That works?" the Doctor blinked in surprise before groaning, "ok, I'm shutting down...going to need an interface..."

"Voice interface," Star shouted.

A hologram of the Doctor appeared, "Voice interface enabled."

"No! No, no, no, no, no, let me see someone I like," the image changed to Rose, "oh thanks! Give me guilt," then Martha, "Also guilt," and Donna, "More guilt!" he clutched his chest in pain.

"Come on!" Star yelled, "Surely there is someone he hasn't screwed up yet," she looked at the Doctor, "No offence, daddy."

"Voice interface enabled," a little girl's voice called and they looked to see Star there, in her first regeneration, Nova Sigma, bright red hair in a ponytail on the top of her head, deep blue eyes, around 8 years old.

"Someone else!"

"No!" the Doctor cried, "This one! This one is perfect!" if he was going to die, he would make sure to die seeing the person he cared for the most. "Nova Sigma..."

"I am not Nova Sigma, I am a voice interface."

"Come one, let's run away, and see the universe."

"I am not Nova Sigma, I am a voice interface."

"Oh," Star rolled her eyes, "I really was that stubborn."

"How am I doing?" The Doctor asked.

"You're system has been contained by the poison of the Judas tree." the interface stated, "You will be dead in 32 minutes."

"Ok," the Doctor nodded, "So, basically, better regenerate, that's what you're saying?"

"Regeneration disabled. You will be dead in 32 minutes."

"But what if we find a cure?" Star asked, hopeful, even though she knew the likelihood was slim.

"There's is no cure. You will be dead in 32 minutes."

"Stop saying that!" Star cried, "why are you saying that?!"

"Because he will be dead in 32 minutes."

"You see," the Doctor groaned, "Basically skipping 32 whole minutes when I'm absolutely fine."

"River's just beginning," Star said softly, "She needs us, you can't die now."

"You will not die now," the interface repeated, "You will die in 32 minutes."

He let out a cry in pain and slid of the chair to the floor, Star tightened her grip on him, "Ok, need something for the pain. Come on, Nova. Please."

"I am not Nova Sigma." the interface argued, "I am a voice interface."

"You," he moaned, "you. You are so stubborn."

"I am not Nova Sigma, I am a voice interface."

"Come on...please...please..." he closed his eyes.

"No! Don't!" Star began panicking, "Don't do that! Don't close you eyes!"

"Ohana." the interface stated.

"What?" Star looked up at it.

The Doctors eyes opened and he too looked at the interface, "What did you say? Ohana." he pushed himself up.

"No," Star gently moved him onto the jump seat, "You stay there." she move to the console and pulled a lever, piloting them. "Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten!"

~.~

Star following the signal from the sonic, a restaurant of the sort. On the monitor they saw that Melody was stood near a mirror, trying on different clothes, Amy, standing too stiff and emotionless to really be her, stood behind her.

"You killed the Doctor," 'Amy' stated.

"Oh, yes, I know dear," Melody replied, "I hope you're not going to keep on about it," she tried on a captain's hat, "Oh, regeneration. It's a whole new colouring to work with," she took the hat back off.

'Amy' moved to stand before the mirror, "You killed the Doctor on the orders of the movement known as the Silence and Academy of the Question. You accept and know this to be true?"

Star and the Doctor exchanged a glance and silently made their way out of the TARDIS, unnoticed as Star turned the breaks off.

"Quite honestly." Melody continued, "I don't really remember. It was all a bit of jumble." 'Amy' moved the mirror out of the way and shot a beam of light from her mouth, striking Melody who cried out in pain, "No! No! Get of me!"

"Sorry," the Doctor called, "Did you say she killed the Doctor?"

'Amy' closed her mouth and faced the Doctor and Star who were leaning against the TARDIS.

"The Doctor? Doctor who?" Star tried to joke, but deep down was more worried and more scared as the minutes past.

Melody stared at them, more directed at the Doctor, "You're dying...and you stopped to change?"

Yes, they had. The Doctor was dressed in a black suit, top hat and cane, while Star had gotten changed into a deep purple ruffle skirt dress, a large bow tied around her waist at the back.

"You should always waste time when you don't have any," he told her.

"Time is not the boss of you," Star added.

"Rule 408," he glanced at 'Amy', "Amelia Pond, judgement death machine. Why am I not surprised?" he held the cane up, "Sonic cane!"

"Are you serious?" Melody gaped.

"Never knowingly. Never knowingly be serious. Rule 27. You might want to write these down," he checked the reading from the cane, "Oh, it's a robot! With 423 life forms signs inside. A robot...worked by tiny people. Love it!"

"How do you all get in there?" Star wondered, "It's not Time Lord technology. Basic miniaturisation sustained bus compression field, at a guess." she shrugged.

"Oh, watch what you eat, it'll get you every time. Amy, if you and Rory are ok, signal me," he glanced at the cane as it beeped, "thanking you..." he winced as he nearly fell to the floor, one of his legs giving out. Star rushed over and allowed him to lean on her for support, "Oops, sorry," Star led him to a small set of stairs leading to the TARDIS, "Leg went to sleep. Just had a quick left leg power nap, I forgot I had one scheduled. Actually, better sit down, I think I heard the right one yawning," Star helped him sit on the steps.

Melody made a break for the door but the robot shot a beam of light at her.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Star yelled, telepathically throwing a chair at the robot, "Do not harm her in any way!"

The robot Amy closed her mouth, keeping Melody in a containment field.

"Why would you care?" the robot asked, "She's the woman who kills the Doctor."

"I'm not dead," the Doctor removed his top hat.

"You're dying."

"Well, at least I'm not a time-travelling shape-shifting robot operates by miniaturised cross people, which, I have got to admit, I didn't see coming."

"What do you want with Melody?" Star demanded, "And beware there are plenty of chairs in the room."

"She's Melody Pond," the robot stated, "According to records, the woman who kills the Doctor."

"And I the Doctor," the Doctor told it, "What's it got to do with you?"

"Throughout history, many criminals have gone unpunished in their lifetimes. Time travel has...responsibilities."

The Doctor laughed, "What? You got yourselves time travel, so you decided to punish dead people?"

"We don't kill them. We extract them near the end of their established timelines."

"And then what?"

"Give them hell."

"I'll give you hell." Star threatened.

"I'd ask you who think you are," the Doctor remarked, "But I think the answer is pretty obvious. So, who do you think I am?" he pointed at Melody, "'The woman you killed the Doctor. It sounds like you've got my biography in there. I'd love a peek."

"Our records office is sealed to the public. Foreknowledge is dangerous."

"Yes, well, I'll be dead in 3 minutes. There isn't much foreknowledge left."

"Don't say that!" Star cried, making him wince.

"Sorry, can't do that." The robot said.

"No, you can and you will. The woman is the daughter of our companions and for something reason wanted to kill my DAD, so if you want to live I'd strongly advice you to…"

"Records available." The robot cut her off, making her blinking in surprise before smiling.

The Doctor groaned and used his cane to push himself up, leaning on it as he walked over, "Question. Im dying…who wants me dead?"

"The Silence."

"What is the Silence? Why is it called that? What does it mean?"

"The Silence is not a species. It is a religious order, or movement. Their core belief is that silence will fall when the question is asked."

"What question?"

"The first question. The oldest question in the universe, hidden in plan sight."

"Yes, but what is the question?"

There was a moment of silence before the robot answered, "Unknown."

"Well, fat lot of use that is, you big ginge! Call yourself a record…argh!" he fell to the floor.

"Dad!" Star shouted, rushing over, squeezing his hand, in comfort, not only for him, but for her as well.

"Kidneys," he gasped, "are always the first to quit. I've had better, you know."

The field around Melody tuned red and she screamed in agony.

"No!" Star screamed, "Rory! Amy! Stop them! I know you can hear us!"

"What do we do?" the robot asked, "This is me. This is me actually talking. What do we do?"

"She's your daughter, you have to stop them!"

"How, how? How?"  
"Anything!"

Star let out a sigh of relief when Melody was set free.

"Please," the Doctor weakly to her, "now we have to save your parents. Don't run. Now, I know you're scared, but never run when you're scared. Rule 7. Please."

~.~

The Doctor laid on the floor, unconscious, Star crying into his shoulder, feeling his heartbeats slowing down, she didn't dare leave his side and it hurt to know that Melody was sat watching, watching the Doctor dying.

The Doctor opened his eyes hearing Amy cry for help inside the robot, struggling and with a lot of support from Star, he tried to get up to the TARDIS, but kept stumbling in pain.

"Look at you." Melody remarked, "You still care."

Amy continued shouting for help.

"Its impressive, I'll give you that."

"River, please…" the Doctor breathed.

"Again?" she stood up, "who is this River? She's got to be a woman, am I right?"

"Please," Star looked back at her, "At least save Amy and Rory. They're your parents!" she looked with begging eyes, "Please, there is not point in both of us loosing our parents on the same day. At least help me save them." Regretfully she stood up and let go of the Doctors hand.

"I can't pilot that thing!"

"Please…" the Doctor whispered.

"We'll be right back." Star promised and she and Melody entered the TARDIS. "I'll help you."

~.~

The TARDIS doors opened and Amy and Rory ran in, grinning, there grins quickly faded as they realised it wasn't Star and the Doctor, but a teary-eyed Star and Melody.

"I seem to be able to fly her." Melody remarked, "She showed me how, she taught me."

"You're the child of the TARDIS." Star explained.

"What do you mean?"

"Where is he?" Amy asked.

~.~

As soon as the TARDIS materialised, Star ran over to where the Doctor was lying on his back on the steps.

"You can't die now." Amy sniffed, kneeling next to him, "I know you don't die now."

"Oh, pond!" he groaned weakly, "you've got a schedule for everything."

"But it doesn't make any sense."

"Doctor, what can we do?" Rory asked, "Come on. How do we help you?"

"No, sorry, Rory," he shook his head, "you can't. Nobody can." He looked as Star as she blinked back her tears. They'd made an agreement after she'd regenerated that if they were to die and they couldn't regenerate, they wouldn't use their regeneration energy to save them, she regretted it now. "Pond, listen to me, I need to talk to your daughter."

Amy and Rory walked over to the daughter and Melody walked over and knelt besides him as Star continued holding his hand, not daring to let go, not wanting to.

"Find her." He told her, "Find River Song and tell her something from me."  
"Tell her what?" Melody frowned. The Doctor tugged on her jacket and she bent down and whispered in her ear, "Well, im sure she knows."

Melody slowly stood and looked at the sadness on Stars face, still holding on to him, as though she was trying to send her energy into him.

"Who's River Song?" Melody asked no one in particular.

Amy looked at Rory who nodded, she then looked at Star who closed her eyes, sobbing and, walked over to the robot. "Are you still working because im still a relative?" she asked it, "access files on River Song."

"Records available." The robot replied.

"Show me her. Show me River Song."

The robot changed from looking like Amy and changed to River Song.

She looked over at the Doctors prone body and Star clutching him, as though if she let go he would disappear, she looked at them, tears in her eyes, realising that the Doctor hadn't confused her with someone else when he kept calling her River, but she was River. She was River Song.

She walked over, her hands beginning to glow as she approached the Doctor.

"River…" Star looked up.

"Just tell me. The Doctor, is he worth it?"

"More than anyone in the universe."  
Melody put her hands on either side of the Doctors face. He sharply inhaled and opened his eyes.

"River?" he whispered, "No! What are you doing?"

"Hello, sweetie." She smiled, transferring her regeneration energy.

Star watched, she always knew that someday River would be close to them, the Doctor had told her that in the library she knew his name. But it was unlikely that they would have told her just because she was partly Time Lord, she must be more than that.

~.~

Amy and Rory leaned over Melody as she slowly awoke in a white hospital room. "Hey." Amy smiled at her.

"Hey. Where am I?" Melody replied.

"You're safe now. Apparently, you used all your remaining regenerations in one go. You shouldn't have done that."

"Mother, I had to try."

"I know."

"He said no one could save him but they must have known I could."

"Rule one," Star remarked, as she leaned into the Doctor, who had his arms wrapped around her, standing at the window.

"We lie." The Doctor finished.

"You know what they say…like father, like daughter."

"Um...it's actually like mother like daughter, like father like son." Rory corrected.

"What can I say, im a daddy's girl."

Melody smiled at them before drifting off back to sleep.

"She just needs to rest." One of the nurses walked over, "she'll be absolutely fine."

"No, she wont," the Doctor shook his head, pulling out a TARDIS diary and putting it down on the side table. "She will be…amazing."

"So that it?" Amy asked, back inside the TARDIS, "We leave her there?"

"Sisters of the Infinite Schism, greatest hospital in the universe." The Doctor reassured her.

"Yeah, but she's our daughter, Doctor, she's River and she's our daughter."

"Amy, we know. But we have to let her make her own way now."

"We have too much foreknowledge." Star added, looking at the monitor, on the screen showing the Doctor wearing a Stetson, by a lakeside, his time of death, place and date, glaring at them. "Dangerous thing, foreknowledge." The Doctor, along with Stars help of course, had managed to hack the robot, the Teselecta, to get that little bit of information.

"What's that?" Amy tried to look at the screen.

"Nothing," Star waved her off, quickly turning the screen of, "just some data from the Teselecta. Very boring." She faked yawned.

"Doctor, River was brainwashed to kill you?" Rory reminded him.

"Well, she did," the Doctor nodded, "and then used her remaining lives to bring me back. As first dates go, I'd say that was mixed signals."

"But that stuff that they put in her head, is that gone now? The River we know in the future, she is in prison for murder."

"Whose murder?" Amy asked. The Doctor just smiled, "will we see her again?"

"Oh, she's come looking for us." He assured her, heading up the stairs, Star following.

"Yeah, but how? How do people even look for you?"

"Haven't you figured that out yet?" Star laughed, jumping up the last couple of steps.

~.~

The Doctor sighed as he entered his bedroom, Star following, she'd been sticking near him ever since they'd gotten back from the hospital, following him around like a lost puppy, it was a adorable but also annoying, she wasn't giving him any reasons why, so he headed to his room, where they'd be able to speak in privacy. Flopping down in his bed, Star curled up next to him, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, and just like that he knew exactly what had bothered her, she'd almost lost him and then…then she would have been the last Time Lord. River was only a half Time Lord and was now out of regenerations but Star, she was only on her 5th she had plenty more to get through and he would make sure that she wasn't wasting them.


	11. Night terrors

Star was under the console, on the harness, finally getting round to trying to fix the phone, the Doctor was leaning over her 'helping' as he called it, but really he was just getting in the way.

A moment later his pocket burned and he spun around, reaching into it, pulling out the psychic paper, looking at the message scrawled across it, "Pease save me from the monsters." He read, putting it back in his pocket and dashed up the stairs, working the controls.

Star, surprised, he'd just gone up, took of her goggles and followed him up.

"Haven't done this in a while!" he exclaimed.

"Done what?" Amy asked, she and Rory looking over, "What're you doing?"

"Making a house call." He grinned, pulling a lever down, causing everyone to stumble as the TARDIS jolted to a stop.

~.~

Rory stepped out first and looked around at a set of flats as Amy joined him, he looked taken back by the unimpressive location, "no offence…" he called back in.

"Which means the complete opposite," Star commented as she stepped out.

"…but we could get a bus somewhere like this."

"The exact opposite," the Doctor agreed, closing the door behind him.

"Well, I suppose it can't all be planets and history and stuff, Rory." Amy sighed.

"Yes, it can!" Star argued, "Course it can! Planets and history and stuff. That's what we do!"

"But not today. No." the Doctor scanned around with the sonic as they entered the courtyard, "today, we're answering a cry for help form the scariest place in the universe."

"A child's bedroom. Seriously, some of the stuff in there," she shuddered at the thought.

"Like what?" Rory asked.

"Like hearing a noise of someone in your room, then you get out of bed to look around and something grabs your foot, and whispers to you…"

They walked to the entrance of the building and the Doctor pulled out the psychic paper as they waited for the lift.

"'Please save me from the monsters.'" Rory read, "Who sent that?"

The Doctor closed the wallet and slapped Rory on the head with it, "that's what we're here to find out." He put it away.

"Sounds like something a kid would say."

"Exactly," the Doctor pointed at her, "a scared kid. A very scared kid. So scared that somehow its cry for help got through to us. In the TARDIS."

"Yeah, but you've traced it here?"

"Exactly." The lift pinged open, "Ah! Going up." He stepped in with Star, Amy and Rory.

~.~

The group had split up; they'd all gone their separate ways.

Star knocked on one of the doors and a small boy opened, holding a cat in his arms, the cat hissing to be let down.

"Hello," She smiled down at the boy, "Is your mummy or daddy in?"

The boy opened the door wider to reveal the mother smoking behind the boy, a small baby in her arms, only a few months old, "Can I help you?" she demanded.

"Hi!" she put on a fake smile, trying not to let on how disgusted she was with the woman, "Star Smith," she flashed on the psychic paper she'd nicked from the doctor, "Work experience for the local council. I just wondering if you've had any bother around here?

The woman stared her down.

"No? Any improvements needed around here?"

"Get lost!" the woman slammed the door but Star stuck her foot out, keeping it open.

"As I am aware, this is a non-smoking apartment complex. Speak to me like that again and I could get you chucked out." And with that she turned on her heel and walked off.

~.~

The group met back at the lift.

"Hey!" Amy greeted, "Any luck?"

"Three old ladies, a traffic warden for Croatia and a man with 10 cats." The Doctor replied.

"A snotty smoker with a young boy, trying to kill his cat." Star remarked, "And a man who looked like had just had the best night of his life."

"What are we actually looking for?"

"10 cats!" the Doctor empathised.

"Scared kid," Star reminded Amy, "Remember?"

"I found scary kids," Amy commented, "Does that count?"

"Hm." The Doctor hummed, "Try the next floor down. Catch you later." He tapped Amy's shoulder and flicked Star on her nose and walked off.

"Hey!" she called after him, "Don't you want this?" she waved the psychic paper around. He rummaged around in his pocket, only now realising she'd taken it. "Catch!" she threw it at him and he continued on as Rory pressed the button for the lift.

"Maybe it was, you know…junk mail." Rory leaned on the wall, arms crossed.

"What?" Amy looked at him.

"The message on the psychic paper. Maybe it was just nothing."

"It's a small child managed to reach us in the TARDIS, it's definitely not nothing, Rory." Star shook her head. The lift arrived with its usual ping and they got it. "I wanna press the button!" Amy rolled her eyes at her as Star pressed the button, grinning as though it was the best thing ever; she kept pressing the button until the doors eventually closed.

As soon as they were shut the lift plummeted down.

"Brace yourself!" Star yelled and they pressed themselves against the sides of the lift.

~.~

Star blinked awake and shot up to find herself in a dimly lit room, the only light from the windows. Looking around she spotted Amy and Rory unconscious.

~.~

Rory slowly came round and spotted Star sitting on a dining table, "Amy! Amy? Where is she?"

"Over there." She pointed, not realising he couldn't see. Thank goodness for her Time Lord eye sight, she can see a lot better in the dark.

"Yeah." Amy called as she awoke, "here. No, here! It's me." She crawled over to him.

"You ok?" he found a small torch and switched it on, checking the girls were ok, because if Star got hurt, the Doctor would kill him.

"Yeah," Amy squinted at the sudden brightness, "I think so."

"Im fine." Star nodded.

"What happened to the lift?" Rory looked around, "We were in a lift, weren't we?"

"Yeah, yeah," Amy nodded, "we…I remember getting in and then…" she heard Rory groan, "what?"

"We're dead, aren't we?" Rory looked at Star.

"Eh?"

"The lift fell and we're dead."  
"Shut up."

"We're dead…again!"

Star giggled at their argument, "We're not dead. But…I haven't a clue where we are. Come on!" she jumped off the table, "Lets explore!"

Rory helped Amy up and they walked out the room, "You know it's obvious what's happened."

"Yeah?" Amy scoffed, "really? Because it's not obvious to me."

"The TARDIS has gone funny again. Some time….slippy…thing. You know, the Doctors back there in EastEnders-land and we're stuck here in the past. This is probably 1700 and something."

"Yay!" Amy cheered, sarcastically, "My favourite year!"

"The TARDIS is fine," Star frowned, "Besides daddy can fix something's." They looked at her, before the burst into laughed. But Star quickly sober, looking over her shoulder, swearing she saw a shadow move behind them.

~.~

They entered a small room, Rory entering first, trying to be the guard for the girls. Looking around it appeared to be the kitchen, shelves reaching the ceiling, fireplaces for coking and utensils scattered around the room. In the middle of the room was a long table.

Amy knocked against some utensils and they made a loud noise, "Bit neglected, wherever it is."

"Let's find the front door, at least." Rory sighed, "then we can work out here we are. When we where."

Star picked up a pan from the table and knocked it, "funny."

"What's funny?"

She held the pan up and knocked it again and they heard a wooden sound, "it's made of wood and painted to look like copper."

"That's stupid." He knocked it himself.

Rory shone the torch around the room.

"Wait." Amy spotted something, "hang on," she found a lamp with a candle; "there's a switch." She turned it on and an electric light started up,

"We're still in the present." Star realised. "Come on, there might be something useful."

They began opening the drawers in the counter and Amy jumped back with a scream. They ran over to see a giant eyeball staring back at them.

Star reached out to touch it.

"Don't touch it!" Amy cried.

She looked at her, "Would you like too." Amy rapidly shook her head and Star grinned and touched the eye, "its okay. It's glass. It's a glass eye."

Rory's torch light flickered on and off.

"Stop doing that." Amy turned to him.

"It's not me." He insisted. The flickering stopped and 5 times, "Come on."

"5 times." Star mused.  
"What?" the humans looked at her.

"The torch flicker 5 times…like…like a scared child would do to keep the monsters back."

"No one does that." Amy shook her head.

"I used to. Well something similar. Face the window in bed, face the door, window, door, window, door, window, door, window, door, lie on my back and fall asleep."

"You're weird."

Star tilted her head at her, "Thank you for noticing."  
"Come on." Rory began to walk to the door opposite the one they entered through.

Star picked up the pan and ran after them.

~.~

They walked down a hallway, Rory leading them on, to protect them from any dangers, "Lets try down here." They continued on.

Star looking back over her shoulder, just missing another shadow, watching them.

They walked into the front hall, the front door across from them, a staircase opposite. Rory grinned, walked to the door, "oh, at last." Then he groaned.

"What is it?" Amy asked.

"No doorknob?" Star guessed.

Rory nodded, "wooden pans. A massive glass eye and now no doorknob?"

"And this clock." Amy nodded to the grandfather clock.

"The hands are painted on." Star frowned, running her fingers along the painted hands.

They turned as they heard the sound of a child's laughter. Rory put a finger to his lips walking towards another door. Star following him.

"You hear that?" Amy asked as they followed the laughter.

"Yeah." Rory nodded.

Amy started forwards, "Wait!" Star held her back, listening as the laughter got louder.

"They're getting closer!" Amy realised.

"They?!" Rory frowned.

They slowly crossed the room. Star readying the wooden pan. Rory slowly reached for the doorknob and opened it quickly, to see a life-size wooden doll, with a large head, the paint chipping, staring back at them.

"It's just…it a dummy." Amy let out a breath of relief, "oh, it's a dummy."

"This is…weird." Rory remarked.

"Says the time-travelling nurse." Star teased. Rory reached out to touch it, but Star grabbed his hand, "Let's leave that. Come on."

~.~

"Why aren't there any light?" Rory wondered aloud, "I miss lights. You don't really miss things till they've gone, do you? That's what my nan used to say, 'you'll never miss the water till the well runs dry.'"

"Rory..." Amy began.

"Except light I mean, not water. Lights are great, aren't they? I mean if this place was all lot up, we wouldn't even be worried at all."

"Rory!" Star laughed at him, "You're rambling!" And people say she rambled on.

"More like panicking." Amy muttered.

"Yeah, yeah." Rory nodded, "Sorry."

A man ran down the hall towards them, "Help me! Please! Keep them away from me! Keep them away!"

One of the life-sized dolls grabbed the man around the neck with one arm around his neck with one arm, forcing him to the floor. He screamed as he was slowly turned into one of them.

"I take it back." Amy gasped, "Panic now."

Rory nodded.

"This way!" Star shouted, leading them down the halls, the dolls stiffly chasing them.

"Don't run away!" the dolls called after them, "We want to play!"

Star led them to the library. Amy and Rory slammed the door behind them, leaning against it as the laugher continued.

Star laid on the stomach and peeked under the door to see the dolls shadows move away. She let out a breath of relief.

The dolls soon returned.

"Lock it!" Amy ordered.

"This isn't a lock!" Rory cried.

Amy groaned as the three of them continued to push on the door. The dolls shoved it open a crack but the managed to shove it closed again.

Star spotted a giant spool of thread and ran and shoved it in front of the door.

"We can't stay here," Amy decided, looking for another door, but finding none, "We've got to get out! Star, can you do that teleport thing?"

Star adjusted her corset, "Amy! I struggled taking you in the Byzantium; I don't think I could do it with two extra people!"

"Ok, so, how do we get out?" Rory asked.

Amy grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him close, "Take control, Rory. Take control of the only thing we can. Letting them in!"

"Letting them in?"

"And then we surprise them."

Star grinned, "We open the door, push past them."

"Kick them. Punch them. Anything." Amy nodded, "ok?"

"Time to play!" came the muffled call from the dolls.

"Ok." Rory agreed, picking up a mop to use as a weapon.

"Right," Star readied herself to run, "I'll go first..."

"No!" Amy and Rory shouted in unison.

"Why not?" She pouted.

"The Doctor will KILL us!" Rory told her.

Star rolled her eyes, "Hello. I'm insane." they shook their heads, not wanting to risk it, "Ok, fine. Rory you first, then Amy, then me," she removed the spool from the door.

One of the dolls fell into the door, Rory pushed past wit the mop, Amy following, they made it past safe, "Star!" they yelled, "Come on!"

She ran but the fallen doll grabbed her ankle, making her stumbled and giving another doll the chance to keep hold of her, "Let me go!"

"Star!" the yelled again, realising that they should have let her go first. They could only watch, helpless as Star was turned into a wooden doll.

~.~

Amy and Rory ran down the stairs, fending off the dolls with the mop and spoon, the Doctor and a man, ran up and joined him.

"Amy!" the Doctor gasped, "Rory!"

"Doctor!" they panted.

His jaw stiffened, "Where's Star?"

They shared a glance and pointed to a ginger haired doll that had followed them.

He sent a glare at them; they should have been looking after her, keeping her safe. But it was only George who could help now, he'd kill them later, "George!" he shouted, "George, you have to face your fears. You have to face them now! You have to open the cupboard or well all be trapped here forever in a living death! George! George, listen to me! George! George listen to me! George!"

The Doctor, Rory, Amy and George's dad were surrounded by the dolls and Star.

"Please!" the Doctor pleaded, "George, you have to end this! End this, end this. End this now!"

The dolls suddenly stopped and they spotted a young boy in the centre of the room, most likely George.

"George! George! You did it! You did it! Its ok, it's all ok, now. Everything's going to be fine." the dolls began moving again ad walked down to George, "No. No. No. No. No. No. No!" he leaned over the banister, "George, you created this whole world. This whole thing, you can smash it! You can destroy it!" George shook his head, "Something's holding him back. Something's holding his back. Something..." he looked at Alex, "That's what did it. That's what the trigger was. He thought you were rejecting him. He thought he wasn't wanted. That someone was going to come and take him away."

The dolls approached George, who shook in fear.

"Well, we...we talked about it." Alex flustered.

"Yeah, and he heard you, Alex. A Tenza's sole function is to fit in, to be wanted, and you were rejecting him."

"We just couldn't cope. We needed help!"

Rory pushed the dolls with his mop.

"Yes, but George didn't know that." The Doctor pointed out, "He thought you were rejecting him. He still thinks it."

"But how could we keep him?" Alex shook his head, "How can we? He's not..."

"Not what?"

Alex looked down at George as the dolls surrounded him, "He's not...human."

"No." the Doctor agreed.

"DAD!" George yelled.

And Alex pushed the scissors as the Doctor as ran down the stairs, pushing past the dolls and pulled George into a tight hug. The dolls stopped as George cried.

"Whatever you are, whatever you do, you're my son," Alex told George, "and I will never, ever send you away. Oh, George. Oh, my little boy."

"Dad." George whimpered.

A bright light filtered through the Windows.

"My little boy." Alex hugged his son tighter.

"Dad." George continued crying.

~.~

The lift doors pinged open and Amy, Rory and Star stepped out.

"We never speak of this again," Star pointed at them.

"Never." Amy shook her head.

"Not at all." Rory agreed.

They walked out of the apartment building and went to sit on a low wall, waiting for the Doctor.

~.~

The Doctor strolled over to them, and pulled Star into a tight hug, lifting her off the ground as she giggled, "You okay?"

"I was a doll." she stated bluntly.

He nodded, "Come on then. Things to do, people to see, whole civilisations to save. It's good to be back together again in the flesh."

Amy and Rory shared a glance at each other; both surprised how calmly he was taking it giving that they had let Star get turned into a doll.

~.~

The Doctor bounded up the steps to the console with Star. Amy and Rory following. "Now did someone mention something about planets and history and stuff? Where do you want to go?"

"Um..." Amy hesitated.

"Minds gone blank."

"It's not like you were turned into a wooden doll." Star rolled her eyes playfully.

"Well...we are surprised you not gonna kill us."

"Why would I kill you?" He frowned.

"Um...you did say that if anything happened to Star when you aren't around, you'd kill us." Rory reminded him.

"And I'm right here!" Star waved. "So, there is no reason to kill you."

"This time," the Doctor mock glared at them.


	12. The girl who waited

"Apalapucia!" the Doctor shouted as he and Star danced around the console, him pulling a lever down.

"Say it again?" Amy frowned.

"Apalapucia!" Star cheered.

"Apalapu..."

"Cia." the Doctor finished.

"Apalapucia." Rory got on the first try.

"Apalapucia." Star grinned, "always wanted to come here."

"I know." the Doctor winked.

Back on Gallifey, they had discussed the planets they would go and visit when the finally left, she had gone so far to write it down. Apalapucia had been near the top of the list, so had Shakespeare, but he didn't want to go and end up getting killed by Elizabeth 1st for something he didn't even know what he had done.

"Apalapucia." Amy smiled at the word, "What a beautiful word."

"Beautiful word, beautiful world. Apalapucia voted number 2 planet in the top 10 greatest destinations for the discerning intergalactic traveller."

"Why couldn't we go to number 1?" Rory asked.

"It's hideous," Star grimaced, thinking about the planet.

"Everyone goes to number one." the Doctor nodded, "Planet of the coffee shops. Apalapucia! I give you sunsets, spires, souring silver colonnades!" he lead them outside, "I give you..." he threw the doors open.

"Doors." Rory stated.

"Doors. Yes, I give you doors," he stepped out followed by Star.

"Doors do open Rory," Star reminded him, linking her arm with him. "unless they're locked, but then locked doors are each to open, you can use a sonic or kick them down. they're many ways to get through doors"

"On the other side of the doors," the Doctor continued, "I give you sunsets, spires, soaring diver colonnades."

"Have you seen my phone?" Amy poked her head out the doors.

"Your phone?"

"Yeah."

"Your mobile telephone? I bring you to a paradise planet, 2 billion light years away, and you want to update twitter?"

"Sunsets. Spires. Soaring silver colonnades. It's a camera phone."

"It's in the counter by the DVDs." Star told her.

"Thank you." Amy nodded and went back in to get her phone.

"How do we get in?" Rory wondered.

"I don't know." the Doctor frowned.

"Push a button." Star suggested, and Rory walked to the panel on the side, "oh, I wanna do it! I like pushing buttons!" she looked at the two buttons, green anchor and red waterfall, she pressed the green anchor and the doors slid open to another plain white room, though this one had a pair of white chairs and a table with a large magnifying glass on top.

"Ok," the Doctor pouted, "So, rain check on the soaring silver colonnades."

They entered the room and looked around, the doors sliding shut behind them

"It's a magnifying glass," Rory remarked, looking at it as the Doctor peered through.

"Hey?" they heard a muffled call from outside, "Hey, it's locked."

"Yeah, push the button," Rory called back. A moment later and the doors still hadn't opened. Rory sighed, "Come on Amy!" he opened the doors and looked out to find it empty, "where is she? Where oh wherever is my wife?"

Star sat in one of the chairs and pressed the green button on the magnifying glass. A blurry picture of Amy appeared on the other side.

"Rory," Star called to him, "I think we've found her."

Amy's eyes widened as she spotted them.

"What do you mean you've found her?" Rory frowned, and he spotted Amy through the glass, "Whoa! No, but, she's not...she's not here! I can see her, but she's not here."

"Where am I?" Amy leaned closer, "In fact, where are you?"

The door in the room suddenly slid open and a white robot with no face and real hands entered. The Doctor as Rory put their hands up as Star ignored the slow moving robot.

"Whoa." Rory looked at it.

"Hands!" the Doctor noticed, "Hello, hands. Handbot with hands, Rory."

"Welcome to the Two streams Facility. Will you be visiting long?" the Handbot asked.

"Er, Star," Amy called, backing away, "Something's happening."

"Amy!" Star shouted, as the screen turned to static, the image of Amy moving through fast motion.

"Stay calm!" the Doctor ordered, rushing over, "Times gone wobbly." he soniced the glass, "I hate it when it does that."

"Will you be visiting long?" the Handbot jerked its hand out to Rory.

Rory leapt back, "good question, bit sinister. What's the answer to not get us killed?"

Star hit the top of the magnifying glass and the image of Amy appeared, her now sitting curled up in the corner of the room, "Hey that worked!" She grinned at the Doctor.

He laughed before turning to Amy, "It's ok, we've got you, you're fine."

"Will you be visiting long?" the Handbot repeated.

"Um...a little help," Rory called to them.

"And where have you been?" Amy demanded.

"Will you..." the Handbot began again.

"What do I tell it?" Rory whispered to them.

"I've been here a week!" Amy glared though the glass at them.

"A week?" the Doctor blinked, "I'm so sorry! Two time streams running parallel bit at different appends. Amy, you're in a faster time stream."

"It's going again!" Amy groaned as the picture turned to static.

"Star!" Rory shouted as the Handbot reached its hand closer to him.

"Amy!" the Doctor tried to get the picture back.

"DOCTOR!" Amy screamed.

Star grabbed the sonic and pointed it at the glass, the image of Amy, sitting on a chair, feet on the table, reappeared, "There. Stabilised!"

"Why has it got hands?" Rory wondered as the Handbot cornered him.

"Organic skin," the Doctor walked over, "ultimate universal interface, grown and grafted, not bots. It's actually seeing with its fingers, scanning the room. But why not just give it eyes?"

"Will you be visiting long?" the Handbot repeated.

"As long as it takes," the Doctor answered it.

"Amy," Star called to the girl, "What exactly did you do?"

"I just…I came in, and I pressed the door button." Amy shrugged.

"Green anchor or red waterfall. Which one did you push?"

"I press red waterfall."

"Great." Rory muttered opening the door and going to get his wife.

He returned a moment later, without Amy, "I pressed red waterfall and she wasn't there!"

"Can't follow her directly. It's never simple!" Star pouted.

"Hear that, Handbot?" The Doctor turned to it, "She just pressed the wrong button. We're aliens, we didn't know."

"Statement...rejected," the Handbot stated. A red light brightened on his chest, "Apalapucia is under planet-wide quarantine. This is a kindness faculty for those infected with Chen 7."

Star gasped as the Doctor quickly covered her nose and mouth with his jacket, using his other sleeve for himself.

"What?" the Doctor breathed.

"What's Chen 7?" Rory asked, muffled as he covered his own nose and mouth with his coat.

"The one day plague." Star breathed.

"What, you get it for a day?"

"No, you get it and you die in a day." the Doctor corrected, this was not how he hoped this trip would turn out.

Amy gasped and covered her nose and mouth aswell.

"There are 40,000 residents in the two streams Facility." The Handbot stated, "Please remain in the sterile areas. Visiting hours are now." It placed its hands together and teleported away.

"Sterile area," the Doctor let out a breath of relief, lowering his sleeves over his and Star's mouth, that was too close for comfort, "We're safe." He sat down.

Amy smacked the glass, "what about me!"

"Chen 7 only affects two-hearted races," Star informed her, "Like Apalapucians."

"And Time Lords." Rory realised.

"Yeah, like us," The Doctor nodded, "In that facility, we're dead in a day. Time moves faster on Amy's side of the glass." His hearts began to slow down, reminding himself that Star was safe, this area was sterile. If she hadn't pressed the Green Anchor button...well, they'd be dead. If she hadn't pressed the button and Rory had…they could be in red waterfall now, dying.

"Amy," Star turned back to the screen, "What did you eat during the week?"

"Nothing," she replied, "I wasn't hungry."

"No, because red waterfall time is compress," the Doctor nodded, "that's the point. The Time Glass syncs up the time streams for visits. You could be here for a day, watch them live out their entire lives."

"And watch them grow old in front of your eyes?" Rory frowned, "That's horrible."

"No, its kind," Star murmured, "you can either sit by their beside for 24 hours, watching them die or sit here for 24 hours and watch them live." She looked at him, "Which would you choose?"

The Doctor picked up the glass.

"Doctor?!" they heard Amy shout, "Star, don't leave me!"

The Doctor moved the glass to the side of the room, looking at Amy, "we're here, Amy. We're right here."

"Where are you? Am I looking at you?"

"Turn left, just a faction." She moved to the left, "bit more, stop. That's it."

"Eye to eye?"

"Eye to eye to eye to eye."

"Hello." Rory called.

"Amy, we're taking the Time Glass back to the TARDIS. Like satnav, we'll use it to get a lock, then smash through, using the TARDIS to get you out. Until then, your own your own." He soniced the glass.

"What are you doing?" Rory asked.

"He's locking on to Amy," Star answered.

"Small act of vandalism, no one'll mind." The Doctor said…and an alarm blared.

"Okay…someone does…"

"Amy, we need you to go into the facility just for a bit. Find somewhere safe and leave us a sign. Remember you're immune to Chen7, but don't let them give you anything. They don't know you're alien. Their kindness will kill you. Now go!"

Amy pressed the 'check in' button and the door slid open, she turned back to them, "Rory, I love you. Now, save me. Go on." She entered the facility and the door slid shut.

Rory looked on, solemn.

"You heard you're wife." Star called, "Now come on." She ran out the room, the men following her.

~.~

The Doctor placed the time glass on the console, "This is locked onto Amy permanently. Play the signal into the console, the TARDIS'll follow it." he attached a cable to the glass, causing it to smoke before he searched through a tool chest of odds and ends, "Now then, I know you're in here. Um…erm…ha ha!" he put on a pair of black-rimmed glasses, "how do I look?" he turned to Rory.

"Ridiculous." Rory replied.

"Hilarious." Star agreed.

"Oi!" he pouted, "Glasses are cool. See?" he put the glasses on Rory, "Oh, yes. Hello, handsome man."

"Oh, hello." Rory smiled.

"Hello, Rory cam!" Star laughed.

"Huh?" he looked over at the monitors; they could see what he saw, "oh, you can see what I see."

"We're breaking into two streams." The Doctor continued, "Now, we can't go in, the Chen7 will kill us, no regeneration. You will be our eyes and ears."  
"Rory-cam," he nodded, understanding, "rescue Amy. Got it."

"That's the spirit! Now, smashing through a timewall could get a bi hairy."

"Is it safe?"

"Do you think it's safe?" Star countered. Rory shook his head.

"Never tried this before," the Doctor admitted, "best hold onto something."

The Doctor laughed manically as he held onto the console as the TARDIS broke through the two time streams. Rory held onto the console for his life as Star ducked her head in her knees sitting on the jump seat.

~.~

The TARDIS materialised and the Time Lords watched as Rory stepped out, wearing the glasses, the time glass attached to the belt worn across his body, "red waterfall! We made it." he shut the door behind him.

The Doctor and Star moved around the console, watching him, "good old us!" he cheered.

"Good job, old girl!" Star patted the console fondly.

"How do we know that we're in the same Red Waterfall as Amy?" Rory asked.

"Focus on the positive." The Doctor replied, "We locked onto Amy's time streams."

The Doctor covered Stars eyes as Rory's gazed drifted around the gallery he was in, and landed on Venus di Milo's breast.

"Eyes front, solider!"

Rory quickly looked away, "right, yes, sorry."

"Apalacpucians are the great cultural scavengers," Star informed him, lowering the Doctors hand as he still covered her eyes, "this gallery's a scrapbook of their favourite places."

They watched as Rory wondered through the gallery, "bit of Earth, bit of alien, bit off…whatever the hell that is." He looked around, "Where…is everyone?"

The Doctor and Star shared a glance, moving around opposite ends on the console, "Right, Rory, switch the time glass on and sonic it. Star'll send a command to the screwdriver. Amy's here somewhere. If I can just get a lock on her, I wonder what happens if we mix the filters?"

"I don't think we should try it." Star admitted.

The Doctor chuckled and turned back to the monitors to see Rory sonicing the time glass, to see lots of people milling about, all out of focus, "and there they are. 40,000 time streams overlapping. Red Waterfall isn't one time stream. Its thousands."

"Are they happy?" Rory asked.

"Oh, Rory. Trust you to think of that. I think they're happy to be alive. Better than the alternative."

"Oh, no," Star swallowed, seeing something on her readings, "Rory, you need to get back now! Before you…"

She was cut off as Rory lowered the time glass to see a woman with long red hair, in a pieced together armor and visor, charging at him with a katana, sending him to the floor on his back, "I come in piece! Peace, peace, peace, peace!" he held his hands up as the sword was aimed at his throat.

"I waited." The person stated, the voice also computerised.

"Sorry, what?"

"I waited for you." she pulled the sword away, "I waited!" she lifted her visor to reveal…Amy. An older and winkler Amy.

"Amy." Rory breathed, "Doctor, Star, what's going on?"

"Er…" the Doctor stared at the monitor as Star walked around the console.

"im so sorry," Star whispered, "I just saw the readings, we're, um…a few decades off…" as soon as she saw them she tried to get Rory to come back, that way there was a small chance (impossible small, but still a chance) that they could try again and go get present Amy.

"No, please," Rory pleaded as Amy drew her sword back to strike, "please!"

"Duck." Was all Amy said and Rory ducked as Amy pulled the sword through a Handbots head, sending to backwards to the floor, "Handbots carry a black box in case they go offline. I've changed the cause of termination from hostile to accidental," she crouched down and began fiddling with it, "Easy to re-program. Using my sonic probe."

"Amy."

"Rory."

"Why?"

"I've survived this long making the Handbots think I don't exist. Don't touch the hands. Anaesthetic transfer, if they touch you, you go to sleep."  
"But you're still here?"

"You didn't save me." Was all she said as she stormed off.

Rory ran after her, "this is the saving! This is the us saving you! The Doctor just got the timing a bit out!"

The Doctor winced, mouthing 'sorry' even though they couldn't see them and Star unknowingly adjusted her corset, something she tended to do when she was uncomfortable and was currently very uncomfortable with the situation and what it would mean.

"I've been on my own here a long, long time." Amy continued, not looking back, "I've had decades to think nice thoughts about him. Got a bit harder to stay charitable once I entered decade 4."

"40 years?" Rory gaped, "Alone?"

"36 years." She corrected, "Thanks!"

"No. right, I mean….you look great. Really. Really."

Amy raised her eyes brows as Rory looked back at her eyes, "Eyes front, soldier."

"Still can't win then."

"In fact, I think I can now definitely say I hate him. I hate the Doctor. I hate him more than I've ever hated anyone in my life. You can hear every word of this through those ridiculous glasses, cant you, Raggedy Man?"

"Ah, yes." The Doctor flipped a switch, "putting the speaker phone on."

"You told me to wait. And I did. A lifetime."

"Amy…"

"You've got nothing to say to me."

"Behind you!" Star cried.

Amy turned to see two Handbots closing in on them, she threw something at Rory and ducked and pressed the Handbots hands together. "Feedback. Knocks them out. Learned that trick on my first day." She strode off again.

"Ok," Rory ran after her, "so we can just take the TARDIS back to the right time stream, yeah? We can stop any of this happening."

"I tried telling you, Rory," Star sighed, "We're part of events now."

"This is so wrong." Rory muttered.

"I got old, Rory," Amy scoffed at him, "What did you think was going to happen?"

"Hey!" he reached out and grabbed her arm, "I don't care that you got old! I care that we didn't grow old together. Amy, come on, please."

"Don't touch me," Amy gently pulled her arm away, "Don't do that."

"It's like you're not even her."

"36 years, 3 months, 4 days of solitary confinement." She stopped in front of a set of large doors and faced them, "this facility was built to give people the chance to live. I walked in here and I died. Do you have anything to say? Anything, Doctor?"

"Where did you get a sonic screwdriver?" the Doctor chuckled.

"I made it." she glared through the glasses, "and it's a sonic probe."

"She's angry at you and THAT'S what you say?" Star blinked at him.

"You're not much better."

"What have I done?"

"You're related to him."

Star laughed at that, "Yeah, and I also had to wait for him. And you know what I did to stop the pain? I sent his best friends after him."

"You sent the Master chasing after me?" The Doctor blinked.

"Sorry." She grinned sheepishly.

She was so angry with him, she wasn't thinking, she'd just gone to the Master and so calmly demanded him to go after him and he had done. I had taken a few weeks afterwards for her to finally calm down and regret what she had done, but it was too late, the deed was done, she wasn't able to do anything about it, just continue her life as normal, not knowing if he was still alive or not.

"You made a sonic screwdriver?" Rory asked, turning the Time Lords attention back to the monitor.

"Probe." Amy huffed and walked through the doors.

Rory hurried after her and followed her through a curtain made from miscellaneous materials.

"Oh!" Rory blinked spotting a Handbot in the corner of the room.

"Don't worry about it," Amy waved him off, as it turned to reveal a smiley face drawn on, "Sit down, Rory."

The Time Lords chuckled as both Rory and the Handbot sat down; evidently the Handbot was called Rory.

"You named him after me?" Rory asked, surprised.

"Needed a bit of company." Amy shrugged him off.

"So, he's like your…"

"Pet."

Rory looked away from Amy to the Handbot, "Is it safe?"

"Yep. I disarmed it."  
"How?" they noticed that the Handbot had no hands, "Oh, you…disarmed it."  
"Oh, don't get sentimental, it's just a robot. You'd have done the same."

"I don't know that I would have." The Doctor remarked.

"And there he is the voice of God. Survivor. Cos no ones going to come for you. Number 1 lesson." She glared through the glasses, "you taught me that."

"Is that really all I taught you?"

"Don't you lecture me, blue box man flying through time and space on whimsy. All I've got, all I've had for 36 years, is cold, hard reality. So, no, I don't have a sonic screwdriver because I'm not off on a romp. I call it what it is, a probe. And I call my life what it is…hell." She turned away.

"Amy if you call this hell I'd love to know how you would have survived my life." Star called.

"Try me."

"A loving family, but then a terrible day, you find out that you're an abomination to all creation, a disease to Time Lord society, you don't except yourself, you hide away, speaking to only two people, the people you care for, who you see everyday, you avoid your family, isolate yourself from them, cause THEM their own pain. Then your father runs away, breaking promising, never to be seen again. so you ensure to make his life miserable the best you can, you send his ex-best friend after him, and THEN you loose your mother!" she began to raise her voice in her rant, "so then, it just you, you ignore your brother and sisters, ignore your best friends, and then, you get forced to regenerate, become a soldier who can easily handle any weapons given, you kill, and kill and kill and you keep going, surviving and then you see the re-birth and a whole new race of Daleks who were fighting to kill, but no, they survive. Your whole planet burns but they survive and THEN, then he comes back and then you die for the 3rd time and you're only a few years older than 400 and then you life a live afraid of yourself, hating the touch of other people for fear of hurting them. THAT is hell! Is your life like that? No, it's not."

Amy stayed silent. Compared to that, her life was peaceful.

Star took a breath, "That was the biggest ramble I have ever done, but anyway, we're gonna put this right."

"You said you learned from an Interface." The Doctor recalled, wrapping his arms around Star, knowing she didn't like to talk about the past, "Can we speak with it?"

"Doesn't work in here." Amy replied, checking her watch, "2:23, the garden'll be clear now. Stay or go?"

"Sorry, me?" Rory blinked, unsure who see was talking to, "No, im coming with you!"  
"Then try not to get killed. Or do. Whatever."

Amy walked off, Rory following.

~.~

"When I first came here, I had to trick the Interface into giving me the information, but I've reprogrammed it now." Amy explained to Rory as they stood garden, "It'll tell me anything except how to escape."

"You hacked it?" Rory gaped in awe, "that's genius!"

"Sorry to interrupt that beautiful moment," the Doctor interrupted, "but temporal engines have a regulator valve, which has to be kept form the main reactor or there's feedback. Interface, where's the regulator?"

"The regulator valve is held within." The Interface said, appearing on the monitor as a hologram as Star typed away, trying to download the information.

"Ah! Oh, very, very 'ah!' interface, we need to run though some technical specifications. Rory, give me to Amy a minute."

"Here you go." Rory tucked the glasses off and they saw him trying to put them on Amy but she jerked away so he handed them to her and she put them on, now they could see Rory.

"They look ridiculous." Amy remarked.

"That's what I told him. Still, anything beats a fez, eh?" they shared a laugh but Amy quickly stopped, "What is it?"

"I think that's the first time I've laughed in 36 years."

Rory looked away, "I'll just, um, leave you geniuses alone. I'll be back in a minute." Amy watched him walked away.

"There's still time, Amy," Star told her.

"It's still in flux." The Doctor agreed, "We can fix everything."

Amy looked down, only for a beep to go off on her wrist; she looked at her watch to see the time was 2:30. She ran off, shouting for Rory…only to see him on the ground, a Handbot standing over him, its head open preparing to fire a dart at him, when she cut its head off with her sword.

"Oh." Rory groaned.

"Rory?" Amy knelt besides him.

"Glasses."

Amy stood and turned away, "you stupid..."

"Oh! You saved me."

"Don't get used to it."

"Have you been crying? A little bit?"

"Shut up, Rory."

"You have, haven't you?"

"Woman with a sword. Don't push it."

Rory raised his hands in surrender.

The Doctor chuckled, "ok, so here's the plan. Time is always a bit wibbly-wobbly, but in two streams its extra wubbly." They watched as Amy gave the glasses back to Rory and they could see Amy again.

"We've worked out how to hijack the temporal engines and then fold two points of Amy's timeline together." Star called.

"We're bringing her out of the then and into the now! Amy, we just need to borrow your brain a minute, it won't hurt, probably, almost probably, and then, Amy Pond, we're going to save you."

Amy stared into the glasses, "No!" she strode off, "time's up, Handbots coming."

"Amy, please, we need YOU!" Star tried reasoning, "Amelia!" she sighed as Amy strode through the doors.

Rory lifted the time glass to the door, showing the faded marks of the message in red lipstick Amy left them, an arrow pointing to the door handle, "you told her to leave us a sign. And she did. And she waited, oh, Amy." he sighed, following his wife, "Why won't you help yourself?"

"They want to rescue Past Me from 36 years back, which mean I'll cease to exist." Amy spun around to him, "Everything I've seen and done dissolves, time is rewritten."

"That's…that's good, isn't it?"

"I will die. Another Amy will take my place, an Amy who never got trapped at two streams, who grew old with you, and she, in 36 years, won't be me."

"But you'll die in here."

"Not if you take me with you," she looked directly into the glasses, "you came to rescue me, so rescue me."

"Leave her and take you?"

The Time Lords shifted uncomfortably, "We could take this Amy with us," the Doctor began, "easy, but if we do, our Amy has to wait 36 years to be rescued."

"So I have to choose," Rory frowned, "which wife do I want?"

"She is me." Amy said, "We're both me."

"You being here is wrong. For a single day, an hour, let alone a lifetime, I swore to protect you…I promised."

Without a word, Amy walked through the curtain.

"Rory..." the Doctor began.

"This is your fault."

"I'm so sorry, but Rory..."

"No!" he snapped, "This is your fault! You should look in a history book once in a while, see if there's an outbreak of plague or not."

"That's not how we travel."

"Then I do not want to travel with you!" he threw the glasses on the ground, causing a bit of feedback, but then...they heard quiet sobbing.

"Rory..." Star called softly, "I think we can hear our Amy..."

They couldn't see what was happening as they glasses were facing down but they could hear Rory shuffling, "Oh, Amy." then there were footsteps, "Look me in the face and say you won't help her."

Star turned the speakers off, it was only fair for Rory to speak to Amy without them over hearing and butting in, they deserved a bit of privacy.

So they paced back and forwards in the console room when the Handbot Rory picked up the glasses and they saw Rory put them back on.

They sighed in relief when the curtain opened and Amy stepped out, they turned the speakers on to hear Amy saying, "im going to pull time apart for you." She hugged Rory, crying.

~.~

"Ok, Doctor," Amy called as they walked through the engine room, "Two streams is back on air. Right, ok, do this is big news, this is temporal earthquake time. I am now officially changing my own future. Hold onto your spectacles. In my last, I saw my future self refuse to help you. I'm now changing that future and agreeing. Every law of time says that shouldn't be possible."

"Yes," the Doctor nodded, "except sometimes knowing your own future is what enables you to change it, especially if you're simple minded, contradictory and completely unpredictable."

"So, basically, if you're Amy, then?" Rory confirmed.

"If anyone could do it, it would be Amy," Star laughed.

"It's not about what im doing," Amy countered, "but who im doing it for. Im trusting you to watch my back, Rory."

"Always," he promised, "you and me, always."

"Cos here's the deal…you take me too in the TARDIS. Me too."

"But that means that they'll be two of you, permanently, forever."

"And that way we both get to live."

"Two Amy's together. Can that work?"

The Doctor and Star looked at each other; the Doctor scratched his head "I don't know, it's your marriage."

"Doctor!"

The Doctor looked at Star who rapidly shook her head, this one the ONE thing not to lie about, he continued, "perhaps, maybe, if I shunted the reality compensators on the TARDIS, re-calibrated the doomsday bumpers and jettisoned the karaoke bar, yes, maybe, yes. It could do it. The TARDIS could sustain the paradox." He avoided Stars eyes as she looked at him, disappointed. "Ok, Amy, Past Amy, stand by the door." He instructed, "Future Amy, you too. Future Amy, can I borrow your sonic scr…probe?"

"It's a screwdriver!" Future Amy laughed, handing it to Rory to flash with the Doctor sonic and handing it back again.

"Rory, sonic it, double our power. Amy Now, you're our link to Amy Then. We need to get a signal through. That signal will be a thought. Amy Now and Amy Then, share a thought. Something so powerful that it can rip though time. Rory, sonic the plinth front. Inside, you'll find three levers and a jumble of wiring. That's the regulator valve."

"Ok." Rory nodded.

"Pull out the red and green receptors, re-route blue into red and green into blue. Leave red loose and on no account touch anything yellow." They watched as Rory stared at the green and blue wires, "come on, Rory. It's hardly rocket science. It's just quantum physics."

"Yes, right. Blue into red…"

"Now the lever. Throw them in order! Amy's, start thinking the most important thought you've ever hand. Hold it in your head and do not let it go! Lever one."

Rory pulled it only to get distracted as they heard Amy muttering 'Macarena'.

"She's doing the Macarena." He breathed. "Our first kiss."

"Lever 2, Rory." The Doctor called. He pulled it down as Amy Then began to flicker into their sight, "lever 3."

Rory pulled it and the Time Lords ran around the console as the TARDIS fought to fly away, sparks flew everywhere, glass shattered, and explosions when off. They could hear the two Amy's talking to themselves but didn't pay an attention, now was not the time.

"Rory, take the glasses off." Star called, seeing the readings, "you're getting temporal feedback." She jumped back as the console sparked, "its ok, calm down, old girl!"

"Rory, Amy," the Doctor shouted, "we've created a massive paradox and the TARDIS hates it." he and Star frantically worked the controls, "she's self-phasing, trying to get out of here. What's nasty Amy done to you? Just calm down, dear. Hang on in there."

"Rory, you've barely got 8 minutes left."

"Im sorry, you're on your own now." The monitor turned to static, "Nova…"

Star shook her head, "I can't believe the stuff you drag me into sometimes. but you are my father, you ask me to do something, I do it."

He looked down, ashamed, he'd lied just so they could get their Amy back, there was no way they could have both Amy's in the TARDIS.

~.~

Thankfully, Rory carried THEIR Amy into the TARDIS. Rory laid Amy on the floor and Star checked her over.

"It's just an anaesthetic," she reassured him, "she'll be fine."

The Doctor ran to the door to see Future Amy running towards them, dropping her weapons. "I'm sorry," he whispered to her and slammed the doors moments before she reached them.

"What are you doing?" Rory demanded, standing up.

"Rule 1, Rory." Star closed her eyes, "he lied."

"Doctor?" Future Amy pounded on the door "Let me in!"

"There can't be two Amys in the TARDIS." The Doctor told him, "The paradox is too massive."

"She'll die!" Rory cried, outraged.

"Doctor?" Future Amy continued yelling, "Let me in!"

"No, she'll never have existed." The Doctor corrected, "when we save our Amy, this future won't have happened."  
"But she happened! She's there!"

"Doctor!" Future Amy banged, "I trusted you!"

The Doctor closed his eyes, "no, she's not real."

"She is real. Let her in!" he ran to the doors.

"Rory!" Star rushed after him, "im sorry, but if we let her in, all of us will die, both Amys will die. Im sorry."

Rory looked over to see Amy, lying on the floor, safe for now.

"Look, we take this Amy, we leave ours." The Doctor told him, quietly, "there can only be one Amy in the TARDIS. Which one do you want? It's your choice."

"This isn't fair." Rory snapped, "You're turning me into you."

"Your choice, Rory." He walked over to the console.

Star looked over to see Future Amy place her hand on one of the window panels; she too went to the console offering Rory some privacy to talk. She squeezed the Doctor from behind, offering him comfort, knowing how hard it was for him to have to do that.

They heard a click and looked over to see Rory letting go of the lock, tears in his eyes and he turned away from the door.

That was all they needed to know that they needed to go and so they quickly dematerialised…

~.~

"Did you always know it would never work?" Rory asked as he, the Doctor and Star sat on the stairs to the halls, Amy on the jump seat, the Doctors jacket over her, still unconscious from the Handbots, "saving both Amys?"

"I promised you I'd save her and there she is." The Doctor replied. "Safe."

"We're so sorry it came to that," Star squeezed him from the side.

The Doctor helped Star up as Amy woke. The Doctor stuck his tongue out at her and smiled seeing Rory already at her side.

"We'll leave you two alone." Star smiled, pulling the Doctor off, leaving them some privacy.

**Guest- Yes, this story was inspired by LizzeXX, but that's all, I have tried very hard to keep as original as possible.**

**Guest- Its cool if you don't like the story. I'm not the best writer but this is what I like doing as the Doctor does give Star the independence she needs to be her own person. **


	13. The god complex

The Doctor popped his head down over the banister of a hotel staircase in a 80s themed hotel of the sorts, Star copied him and looked down at Amy and Rory.

"'Let's go to Ravan-Skala' he says," Amy grumbled, "'the people are 600 feet tall, you have to talk to them in hot air balloons and the Tourist Information Centre is made of one of their hats.' He says. Im sorry but I don't see any huge hats."

"Amy. Beaky," the Doctor grinned, "this could be the most exciting thing I have ever seen!"

"You're kidding." Rory remarked.

"How can you be excited about a rubbish hotel on a rubbish bit of Earth?"

"Because," Star smiled, "this isn't Earth. It only looks like Earth."

"The craftsmanship involved…" the Doctor ran his hand along the banister, "can you imagine?"

"What?" Amy frowned, "Then where are we?"

They just walked back down to the floor where the TARDIS was parked, surrounded by potted plants and frame portraits on the walls.

"Well…we are…no idea." Star admitted, "Isn't that fun!"

"You are crazy."

"Yes I am."

"Look at the detail on that cheese plant!" the Doctor exclaimed and deeply inhaled a leaf.

"Right," Rory slowly nodded, "but who would mock up an Earth hotel?"

The Doctor took an apple from a bowl, "Colonists maybe, recreating a bit of home, like when ex-pats open English pubs in Majorca." He took a bit of the apple, "No, whoever did this; I am shaking his/her hand/tentacle…" only to grimace and spit out the bitten apple into a potted plant.

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Star recited, taking the apple out of his hand and taking a bite herself.

"Have you seen these?" Rory called, looking at the photographs on the walls, "look at the labels underneath. 'Commander Halke, defeat. Tim Heath, having his photo taken. Lady Silver-Tear…Daleks.'"

"'Paige Barnes, other people socks,'" Amy read, "'Time Nelson, balloons. Novice Prin, sabrewolves. Royston Luke Gold, Plymouth. Lucy Hayward, that brutal gorilla.' Doctor, what does it mean?"

"I don't know," the Doctor answered, "Let's find out."

~.~

They'd found the reception area and weren't exactly surprise to found no one there, but there was a bell and Star, being Star, found the bell and continuing ringing on. On the first ring 3 people ran around the corner, two men and a woman. The woman, an Indian in blue scrubs, waved a chair leg at them.

One of the men, an alien obviously as he appeared mole-like, waved a white handkerchief at them. The other man had dark curly hair and glasses.

"Blimey, that was quick," the Doctor muttered, tugging Star behind him as she stood the closest to the trio.

"We surrender!" the alien cried.

"No, its okay," Rory held his hand out, "We're not...we're nice."

"She threatened me with a chair leg!" the Doctor accused.

"Who are you?" the woman demanded.

"We're back in reception," the man noticed.

"We surrender!" the alien repeated.

"Never been threatened with a chair leg before!" the Doctor remarked before thinking, "No, I tell a lie."

Amy turned to her husband, "Did you just say, 'its okay, we're nice?'"

"Shut up!" Star shouted over the noise.

Everyone fell silent but the woman slowly walked towards them.

"Rita, be careful, yeah?" the man warned.

"It's all right Howie," Rita eyed the group, "their pupils are dilated. They're as surprised as we are. Besides which, if it's a trick, it'll tell us something."

The Doctor grinned at her, "Oh, you're good," he turned to Star, "Oh, she's good." he turned back to Amy, "Amy, with regret, you're fired."

"What?" Amy blinked.

"I'm kidding," he turned to Rita a mimicked a phone, whispering, "We'll talk."

Star turned to the mole-like alien, "From the pathological compulsion to surrender you're from Tivoli, I'm guessing."

"Yes," the alien nodded, "the most invaded planet in the galaxy. Our anthem is called 'Glory To Insert Name Here.'"

"You with the face," the Doctor turned to the man, "Howie, you said you were surprised to be back in reception."

"The walls move," Howie replied, "Everything changes."

"You, clever one," he pointed at Rita.

"Rita," Star reminded him.

"What's he talking about?"

"the corridors twist and stretch," Rita tried to explain, "Roots vanish and pop up somewhere else. It's like the hotels alive."

The Doctor turned off the soft music that was playing over them, "That's quite enough of that."

"And it's huge," Howie added, "With, like, no way out."

"Have you tried the front door?" Rory asked.

"No, in two days it never occurred to us to try the front door," Rita replied, sarcastically, "Thank god you're here!"

The Doctor scanned the doors with the sonic as Amy laughed at Rita's remark. He threw the doors open to reveal a brick wall, "They're not doors, they're wall, walls that look like doors. Door-walls, if you like or 'dwalls', 'woors' even..." he trailed as Star began giggling at him, "You probably got it when you said, 'They're not doors.' I mean, the windows are..." he thee the curtains apart to reveal a wall, "Big day if you're a fan of walls."

"It's not just that," Rita continued, "the rooms have...things in them."

"Things?" Star perked up.

"What kind of things?" the Doctor asked, "Interesting things? We love things, ask anyone." Star nodded eagerly besides him.

"Bad dreams." Rita stated.

Stars grinned faded, "Well, that killed the mood."

"How did you get here?" the Doctor frowned.

"I don't know," Rita sighed, "if just started my shift. I must have passed out, because suddenly I was here."

"I was blogging," Howie shrugged, "Next thing, this."

"Oh, I was at work," the alien said, "I'm in town planning. We're lining all the highways with trees, so invading forces can march in the shade. Which is nice for them."

"Yeah…so what have we got?" the Doctor asked, "People snatched from their lives and dropped into an endless, shifting maze that looks like a 1980s hotel with bad dreams in the bedrooms." He picked up a Rubik's cube from the counter, "well, apart from anything else that just rude."

~.~

The Doctor and Star led the way up the stairs to where the TARDIS was parked. "We'll pop back to the TARDIS," the Doctor said, "do a planet-wide diagnostic sweep, and then we'll have s sing song. I know someone who has a beautiful voice," he winked at Star.

"Dad." She hissed at him, blushing furiously…only to groan seeing the TARDIS gone.

"Oh." he began feeling around in case the TARDIS had gone invisible on them.

"Where's the TARDIS?" Amy frowned, "you parked it there, didn't you?"

"What's a TARDIS?" Howie asked.

"Our way out." Rory sighed, "and it's gone," he held his head in his hands.

Star looked up hearing the music playing again, she looked at the Doctor who also heard it, "ok," he nodded, "this is bad. At the moment, I don't know how bad, but certainly we're 3 buses, a long walk and 8 quid in a taxi from good. Are there any more of you?"

"Joe," Rita answered, "but he's tied up right now."

"Why?" Star tilted her head, "what's he doing?"

"No, I mean he's…tied up right now."

~.~

The Doctor and Star slowly entered the dining room to see it filled with tables of ventriloquist dummies, all laughing and bobbing their head, a man, Joe, sat in the middle tied to one of the chairs.

The dummies stopped and stared at them as the group entered.

"Hello. Im the Doctor and this is my daughter Star," the Doctor introduced.

"You're going to die here," Joe told them in a dreamily voice.

"Well, they certainly didn't mention that in the brochure," the Doctor took Stars hand in his, not liking that fact they were apparently going to die there.

"Is Joe there?" Star asked.

"Can we have a quick word?" the Doctor grabbed a chair and sat opposite the man, Star sat cross-legged on the floor next to him.

"Oh, it; still me, Doctor, Star," Joe replied, "but I've seen the light. I lived a blasphemous life, but he had forgiven me inconstancy, and soon…he shall feast."

"Well, you've been here 2 days, what's he waiting for?"

"We weren't ready. We were still raw."

"But now you're what? Cooked?"

"If you like. Soon you will be, too." Star frowned as she noticed the horseshoe tie clip and dice cufflinks Joe wore. "Be patient. First…find your room."

"Our rooms…" Star frowned.  
"There's a room here for everyone, Star, even you."

"You said you'd seen the light now." The Doctor recalled.

"Nothing else matter anymore," Joe laughed, "only him. It's like these things. I used to hate them! They make me laugh now. 'Gottle o' geer! Gottle o' geer!'" the dummies joined in with his laughing.

Star narrowed her eyes, the laugher was annoying her, and felt like they were laughing at her, she didn't like it. She flashed her eyes red, popping the head of one of the dummies near the back, "anyone else wanna laugh?" the dummies fell silent.

"You should go." Joe continued, "He'll be here soon."

The Doctor gave him a thin smile before sliding a hand dolley under Joe's chair, "I think you should come with us…"

~.~

They all gathered back in reception, the music still playing. The Doctor, Amy, Rory and Rita stood one the guest side of the counter. How and the alien stood behind the counter with Joe still tied in his chair. Star dangling her legs down as she sat on the counter.

"Why you four?" the Doctor eyed the humans and alien, "that's what I don't understand. Aside from all the other sides I don't understand." He turned the music back off.

"What does it matter?" the alien countered, "sooner or later, someone will come along and rescue us. Or enslave us."

"I don't feel like being a slave," Star muttered.

"First, we find the TARDIS," The Doctor nodded, "Quick thing before we go. If you feel drawn to a particular room, do not go in, and make sure someone else can see you at all time."

"Joe said 'he' will feast." Rita recalled, "Is there something here with us?"

Joe began to laugh, "Something to add Joe?" Star looked at him.

"Here comes a candle to light you to bed," Joe recited, "to light you to bed, here comes a chopper to chop off your head. Chop, chop, chop, chop."

"Can we do something about him?" Howie asked as Joe continued laughing.

The Doctor walked down the halls with Star next to him. The alien who they had learnt was called Gibbis was pushing Joe who now had his mouth taped shut. Rita, Amy, Rory and Howie followed. They could hear Howie and Rory talking but they didn't pay much attention as they realised that they had just changed direction.

The Doctor opened room 158 and a PE teacher stepped out, "hello." The doctor greeted.

"Have you forgotten you PE kit again?" the man answered instead, "right, that's it, you're doing it in your pants!" he went back into the room and the Doctor shut the door.

Star gave the Doctor a confused look before she looked back and saw Howie. "Howie! No!" but she was too late. Howie had already opened the door.

"Oh, look, girls," a young blonde woman called from inside the room full of beautiful young women, "its H-H-H-Howie!"

"What's 'loser' in K-K-K-Klingon?" another laughed.

"Shut the d-d-…the-the door!" Howie stuttered, looking away. Star quickly closed the door. "This is just some m-m-messed up CIA stuff. I-I-im telling you."

"Its okay." Star gave him a reassuring hug.

The Doctor patted Howie's chest, "you're right, keep telling yourself that. It's a CIA thing, nothing more."

They walked off, Howie casting a glance over his shoulder, they looked back too, but there was nothing there.

They walked down a hall, the Doctor feeling the wallpaper, tapping the light sconces and feeling the plaster where it had been scraped off. Amy stopped when she saw a handful of notes on the floor. She turned to give them to the Doctor when there was a growl.

"Ok," Amy began, "whatever that is, it's not real, yeah?"

"Let's not stand here," Star said, "just in case."

"In here." The Doctor called, leading Amy, Howie and Gibbis into one room. Rita ran into another one with Joe.

"Rory." Star tugged Rory into the room as the man was tying his shoelace.

"No but…" he tried to argue.

They ran in only to see two Weeping Angels in the room.

"Don't…blink." Amy instructed.

"What?" Howie frowned.

The lights flickered and Gibbis cowered in the cupboard. The Angels moved positions.

"Amy, get back." The Doctor pulled her back.

"Why haven't they got us yet?" Star wondered and stepped closer to one, touching one only for it to grow through, "they're not real."

"What?" Amy kept her eye on the Angels.

"They should have gotten us by now." The Doctor agreed, "Amy, look at me, focus on me." Amy looked at him, "It's your bad dream, that's all."

"I don even think they're for us." Rory commented looking at Gibbis. Amy had told him about her encounter with the Weeping Angels about how she had to walk with her eyes closed through a forest of them, how Star had teleported her away just in time before they got her.

Gibbis screamed and hid in the cupboard.

The Doctor was about to check on him when there was a growl and Star was at the door, looking through the peephole.

"Star, what are you doing?" Amy demanded.

"Oh, you are beautiful." Star breathed, seeing a minotaur-like creature outside.

The Doctor nudged her out the way and looked for himself, "oh, look at you…" he suddenly jumped back, startled as the beast turned to him, "oh, dear." He saw something in the hallway, "I think its going after Joe."

"Come to me!" they heard Joe shouted, "Come to me! Praise him!"

The Doctor opened the door to see Joe's body being dragged away by the beast. "Leave him alone!" the Doctor shouted as he and Star ran down the halls

"Joe!" Star yelled as they ran up some stairs, "Joe!"

They ran down another hall and stopped at a four-way interception, checking all the corridors.

"Joe!" Star called. She stopped when she spotted one of Joe's cufflinks on the carpet. They turned to see Joe kneeling, propped against the wall.

"Joe? Joe!" the Doctor walked over, "Joe! Joe, what happened?"

Star checked the mans pulse, she sadly shook her head when she found none.

~.~

Star sat in the dining room, watching everyone, while drinking the tea Rita had made. The woman now talking to the Doctor who had been scanning Joe who was now stretched out on the small dais with the dummies behind him. Amy had been talking to Gibbis as Howie and Rory had been barricading the door. She was just watching Rita, Howie and Gibbis; all three had now seen their rooms.

"Doctor," Amy called pulling her attention back to see Amy walking over to the Doctor, a handful of papers in her hands, "look at this. I found it in a corridor; I completely forgot I had it."

Star skipped over to them as he hit Amy on the head with them before reading them aloud, "'My name is Lucy Hayward and I'm the last one left. It took Luke first. It got him on his first day, almost as soon as we arrived. It's funny. You don't know what's going to be in your room until you see it, then you realise it could never have been anything else. I just saw mine. It was a gorilla from a book I'd read as a kid. My god, that thing used to terrify me. The gaps between my worships are getting shorter, like contractions. This is what happened to the others…and how lucky they were. It's all so clear now. Im so happy. Pra..."

"Praise him." Howie finished.

"What did you say?" Star turned to him sharply.

"Nothing." he seemed to struggle with words, "Praise him!" he clapped a hand over his mouth.

"This is what happened to Joe!" Gibbis cried.

And then chaos erupted in the room as everyone began to shout other each other.

Star flashed her eyes and caused one of the light bulbs to smash, everyone quickly quietened down in their surprise, "Thank you." she grinned as though nothing had happened.

"Don't you see?" Gibbis cried, "he'll lead it right here!"

"What do you suggest?" Rita asked him.

"Look, whatever it is out there, it's obviously chosen Howard as its next course. Now…tragic though that is, this is no time for sentiment. Im saying, if it were to…find him, it may be satisfied and let the rest of us go. All I want to do is go home and be conquered and oppressed, is that too much to ask?!" he sat back down in his chair.

"Its ok, I'll stay with Howie." Rita offered, "You take the others and go."

"No, we stick together," Star determined.

The Doctor walked over to Gibbis and whispered to him, "Your civilisation is one of the oldest in the galaxy. Now I see why. Your cowardice isn't quaint, it's sly, aggressive. It's how that gene of gutlessness has survived while so many have perished. Well, not today. No one else dies today. Right?"

"Yes." Gibbis said, quietly.

"Brilliant." He walked back over to Howie and put an arm around his shoulder, leading him back to the table. "any second, it's going to possess you again when it does, we're going to ask you some questions. Please try to answer them."

Howie nodded as he sat down, and everyone took a chair at the same table, "I hope my mum's all right, she's going to be w-worried."

Howie…" Star called seeing him smiling and swaying, "Howie."

The Doctor sighed as Howie was processed, "Howie, you're next, we're all dead jealous, so tell us…how do we get a piece of the action? Why isn't he possessing all of us?"

"You guys have got all these distractions," He tapped his head, "all these obstacles. It'd be so much easier if you just let it go, you know, clear the path."

"You want it to find you?" Amy frowned, "Even though you know what it's going to do?"

"Are you kidding? He's going to kill us all! How cool is that?!"

They walked away from the table leaving the possessed Howie alone.

"It's as I thought," the Doctor rubbed the side of his head, "it feeds on fear. Everything, the rooms, Lucy's note, even the pictures in reception, has been put here to frighten us. So we have to resist. D whatever you have to, cross your fingers, say a prayer, think of a basket of kittens, but do not give in to the fear."

"Ok, but what are we actually going to do?" Amy asked.

"We're going monster hunting!" Star cheered.

~.~

The Doctor had wanted Star to say with him, badly, and she meant badly, she knew he only wanted her with him so he could be there to ensure she was safe herself. He'd tried everything to persuade her but she had still declined and instead was standing with Rory.

They'd set up the trap in the beauty parlour, using lots of mirrors so they could see the monster clearly without getting too closer. They'd all split up. Amy and Rita were together. Gibbis was watching over Howie. They could hear Howie's voice echoing through the halls, using the speakers to lure the monster to the parlour.

She heard Amy shouting her warning to seal the doors. And there she and Rory were, standing at the doors, Rory blocking the door with a mop as Star leaned on it for extra security.

They stood in silence trying to hear what the Doctor was saying to the monster. She made out that the hotel was some sort of prison and they were food, but like Joe had said, they weren't ready. The monster was very old. But she couldn't hear any more as they could hear Howie shouting.

"My master, my lord!" Howie was shouting, "im here! Bring me death!"

"Howie." Star gasped, pulling away from the door which was what the monster needed as she heard the Doctor warning her and Rory and then the monster pushing her into the wall and sending Rory to the floor, the monster running on.

She quickly pulled herself together and ran after it, trying to keep it in her sight but the halls shifted and she lost it.

She reached a four way interception and spun trying to figure out which way when she heard it 'Praise him,' whispering in her mind.

And then she turned and spotted a room, 5, her room so it seems, it made sense, room 5, her 5th regeneration.

She took a breath, her hand slowly reaching out to the doorknob. She had to look inside; she had to know what her worst fear was. She had to.

She turned the doorknob and peeked inside and there lying on the carpet on the floor, they all were, everyone she cared, dead.

She swallowed as she caught site of the ginger standing on the bed, a victorious smirk on her lips as they made eye contact, the green meeting the red.

She wanted to look away but couldn't. You didn't know what was in your room into you look inside rand realise it couldn't be anything else, yeah, this was her worst fear. Herself.

It was so obvious.

She was terrified of becoming the monster everyone saw her as, terrified of killing those she loved.

And then next thing she knew the door was slammed shut and she was in the Doctors arm, crying.

"Shh, its okay," he soothed her, "It's not real. It's not real. You're okay."

~.~

After Star had pulled herself together they'd quickly gone and found Howie kneeling on the floor, against the wall, just like Joe. He took Howie glasses on his face and patted his face. They looked up when Amy, Rory and Rita ran down the hall.

Gibbis appeared at the other end. "He got free. He overpowered me." Neither Time Lord said anything they just got up and walked to the group as Gibbis timidly followed, "it might leave is alone now. Maybe now we'll be safe." They walked off, "wait!" he ran to catch up with them.

~.~

The Doctor and Star stood looking at Howie's picture on the wall as Rory joined them.

"Have you found your room yet?" Star asked him.

"No," he answered, "is that good or bad?"

"Maybe you're not scared of anything." The Doctor shrugged him off.

"Well, after all the time unspent with you in the TARDIS, what was left to be scared of?"

"You said that in past tense," Star pointed out.

"No, I didn't." the Doctor leaned back against the wall as Rory looked at the photo, "You know, Howie had been in speech therapy. He'd just got over this massive stammer what an achievement, I mean, can you imagine? I'd forgotten not all victories are about saving the universe."

~.~

The Doctor and Star walked down the stairs when they met Rita in her way up. "Rita! Brilliant!" the Doctor grinned at her, "How are you? Not panicking are you? Good, good. Because we are literally an otters toenail away from getting is out of here."

"Why?" Rita asked with a smile.

"Excellent question," he patted her on the back as he passed her, Star stayed where she was, "Excellent question," he paused and turned back to her, "Why what?"

"Why is it up to you to save us? That's quite a God complex you have there."

The Doctor looked down at Amy as she placed the fish from the parlour by the window, "I brought them here..."

"WE brought them here." Star corrected.

"They'd say it was their choice. But offer a child a suitcase full of sweet and they'll take it. Offer someone all of time and space and they'll take that, too. Which is why you wouldn't. Which is why grown up were invented."

"But we don't have a grown up in the TARDIS."

"All of time and space, eh?" Rita smiled.

"Oh, yeah." the Doctor nodded, "And when we get out of this. We'll show you, too."

"I don't know what you're talking about. But I have a feeling you just did it again."

Star stepped on the Doctor foot to get his attention. "Ow!" he cried, "what was that for?" she pointed to the corner, a security camera hidden in away, "Right down to the smallest detail." he turned and ran down the stairs, pulling Star with him, leaving Rita looking at the camera.

~.~

They ran down the hallways when the Doctor suddenly stopped hearing 'Praise him' whispering in his mind, he turned and was drawn to room 11. He opened the door and looked inside, "of course, who else?" Star peeked over his shoulder before he closed the door and placed a 'Do Not Disturb' sigh over the knob. He ran off again but Star stopped him.

"Who is that?!" She demanded, "Explain now!"

"After the war," he admitted, seeing himself in his room, "When I used 'the Moment' I was afraid of what I had become, do to that."

She pulled him into a tight hug, "its okay. You had to do it." she pulled apart, "now come on. Let's find that security room," she ran off ahead.

The Doctor smiling after her. She didn't hate him, he hadn't told her about a whole regeneration but she still didn't hate him.

He took off after her and the found the security room. A panel of monitors against the wall, "oh, you beauty!" the Doctor grinned, "come on, big fella. What are you doing?"

"Rita?" Star breathed seeing the woman on the monitor.

"Where are you going?" he wondered, picking up the phone and dialling. Rita stopped and look to the left as she heard the phone ringing, "come on, come on, come on!" the Doctor murmured as Rita looked directly at the camera, and opened the door, "come on, come on." She picked up, "Rita, where are you going? Can you take the phone into the corridor? Will it reach?" Rita appeared back on the monitor with the phone, "You started to praise it, didn't you?" Rita nodded, "Rita, come back. Please. We'll find a way to stop it, I swear to you."

"No, I need to get as far away from you all as possible." Rita said, kneeling on the floor.

"No you don't. The creature only wants whoever's praising it."

"You'll put yourself in its way?"

The Doctor took the phone back, "Block out the fear and stay focused on your belief."

"I can feel the rapture approaching," Rita told them, "like a wave." The Beast appeared on one of the monitors, "I don't want you to witness this. I want you to remember me the way I was."

"What's going on?" Amy asked as she and Rory entered, "Rita's disappeared. What's she doing there?

"Rita, please," Star pleased, "let me find you."

"You stay where you are. Please, let me be robbed of my faith in private." Rita said.

Rory pointed at one of the monitors seeing the Beast getting closer to Rita, "Look."

"Rita. Rita. Go into the room, lock the door." The Doctor remarked, urgently.

"im not frightened." Rita smiled, "im blessed. Im at peace. Im going to hang up."

"Rita," Star shouted, "no, please. Don't!"

She hung up. The Doctor slowly put the phone down as they saw Rita turned around, smiling, as the Beast approached her from behind. He soniced the monitor off quickly and on another screen they saw Gibbis eating the fish.

~.~

Amy and Rory sat in the last booth in the bar, Gibbis in the middle, the Doctor and Star in the far booth, the Doctor having just calmed Star down as she had a small tantrum, knocking things of the table and screaming, annoying everyone in the act, before the Doctor had managed to finally calm her down.

"Ok," the Doctor nodded, "it preys on peoples fear and possesses them," he handed Star the Rubik's cube to keep her busy and calm, "but Rita wasn't afraid, she was brave and calm. Maybe it's something to do with the people, some connection between the four of you that'll tell me how to fight it."

"Yes," Gibbis rolled his eyes, "You keep saying that but you never do. And while we wait, people keep dying. And we'll be next!"

"Look, he'll work it out." Amy told him, "He always does. Just let him riff and move anything expensive out of the way."

Star stiffened and placed the completed Rubik cube on the table, it hadn't taken her long but she had just been fiddling with it as a distraction, "oh no."

"Oh, no, no." the Doctor agreed.

"What wrong?" Amy looked at them.

"Its not fear. Its faith. Not just religious faith, faith in something." He got up and walked to the middle of them, "Howard believed in conspiracies, external forces controlling the world."

"Joe had dice cufflinks and a chain with a horseshoe," Star added, "He was a gambler. Gamblers believe in luck, an intangible force that helps them win or lose."  
"Gibbis rejected personal autonomy and is waiting for the next batch of invaders to tell him what to do. They all believe there's something guiding them, about to save them. That's what it replaces. Every time someone was confronted with their most primal fear, they fell back on their most fundamental faith," he sat down on a bar stool and rubbed his eyes, "and all this time, I've been telling you to dig deep. Find the thing that keeps you brave. I made you expose your faith. Show them what they needed."

"But why us?" Rory shook his head, "why are we here?"

"It doesn't want you." Star told him, "That's why it kept showing you a way out. You're not religious or superstitious, so there's no faith for you to fall back on."

"It wants her." The Doctor pointed at Amy.

Amy blinked, "me? Why?"

"Your faith in me. That's what brought us here."

"But why do they lose their faith before they die and start worshipping…'it?'" Rory wondered.

"It needs to convert the faith into a form 'it' can consume," the Doctor explained walking over to him, "faith is an energy, the specific emotional energy the creature needs to live. Which is why at the end of her note, Lucy said…"

"Praise him." Amy finished.

"Exactly."

A moment later Rory jumped to his feet, Star turned to her and the Doctors eyes widened, "No. oh, please, no."

The beast growled.

~.~

The 5 of them ran through the halls, the beast chasing them. Amy stopped and faced it, the Doctor and Rory went back for her.

"Amy?" the Doctor called.

"What are you doing?" Gibbis demanded.

"He is beautiful," Amy breathed seeing the beast at the end of the hall.

"Leave her! Just leave her!"

They ignored him and they each draped an arm over their shoulders and dragged her down another hall. Star leading the way, Gibbis following.

They ran into a room, 7, to see young Amelia sitting on her suitcase waiting and watching for the magical blue box. Rory and Star tried to hold the door against the beast as Gibbis hid between the beds.

Amy fell to her knees, "Doctor, its happening. It's changing me, it's changing my thoughts."

"I can't save you from this," the Doctor said, "There's nothing I can do to stop this."

"What?"

"I stole your childhood and now I've led you by the hand to your death. But the worst thing is, I knew, I knew this would happen. This is what always happens." Star grunted as she held the door, "Forget your faith in me," he told her urgently "I had Star already, I took you with me because I was vain, because I wanted to be adored," he stroked her hair, "Look at you. Glorious Pond. The girl who waited for me. Im not a hero, I really am just a mad man in a box. And it's time we saw each other as we really are." He kissed her forehead, "Amy Williams. It's time to stop waiting."

Star looked over seeing the sorrow and heartbreak in his eyes and took his hand in support as he opened the door to see the beast lying on the floor, panting as the lights flickers.

"He broke your hold on Amy," Star knelt next to the beast, "sacrificed her faith in him. You can die in peace now." The lights flickered and the hallways turned into a black room with a lit grid floor. A control panel to the side.

"What is it, a Minotaur?" Amy eyed the beast, "or an alien? Or an alien Minotaur? That's not a question I thought I'd be asking this morning."

"Its both," Star remarked, "distant cousin of the Nimon by the looks."

The Doctor walked to the control panel and checked the information, "They descend on planets and set themselves up as gods to be worshipped. Which is fine, until the inhabitants get all secular and advanced enough to build bonkers prisons."

"Correction," Rory called from where he was looking through the porthole in the floor, "prisons in space?"

"Where are the guards?" Amy frowned.

"They don't need guards," Star replied, "Its all automatic."

"It drifts through space," the Doctor added, "snatching people with belief systems and converts their faith into food for the creature."

Amy glanced at the Time Lords, "it didn't want just me. So, you must believe in some god or someone, or they'd have shown you the door, too. So, what do Time Lords pray to?"

The Time Lords glanced at each other, Star giving the Doctor a small smile. He broke into a grin seeing it, she had faith in him! After everything, she had faith in him again!

"Must be a fault in the programme," Star guessed, "got stuck on the same setting."

The beast growled.

"What's it saying?" Amy asked.

"'Ancient creature, drenched in the blood of the innocent, drifting in space through an endless, shifting maze.'" The Doctor translated, "'for such a creature, death would be a gift.'" He knelt down next to it and placed his hand on the beasts. "Then accept it. And sleep well." He stood up and walked away as the beast growled again, "'I wasn't talking about myself.'"

"Come on," Star squeezed his hand in comfort and they walked back to the TARDIS.

"Could I have a lift?" Gibbis asked as the Doctor unlocked the door, "just to the nearest galaxy would do."

~.~

Amy and Rory stepped out and looked around confused to see them standing before a row of colourful townhouses. One was light blue with a TARDIS blue door and a red Jaguar E-Type car parked outside.

"Don't tell me," Amy began, "this isn't Earth, that isn't a real house. And inside lives a goblin, who feeds on indecision."

"Nope. Real Earth, real house." The Doctor tossed her a set of keys, "real door keys!"

"You're not serious?"

"The car, too?" Rory gaped, rushing towards it, "but that's my favourite car. How did you know that was my favourite car?"

"You showed me a picture on and said, 'that's my favourite car'" Star mimicked him, as the Doctor tossed him the car keys.

"Rory, can you give us 2 minutes?" Amy called to him, "2 minutes?"

Rory quickly hugged Star and then put an arm around the Doctor, "she'll say we can't accept it because it's too extravagant, and we'll always feel a crippling sense of obligation. It's a risk im willing to take!"

Star laughed as Rory walked off to their new house, keeping his eyes on the car for as long as he could. Amy leaned against the bonnet of the car and patted the space next to her, "hey." The Doctor leaned next to her and Star leaned into him. "So…you're leaving, aren't you?"

"You haven't seen the last of us." The Doctor assured her, "Bad Penny is my middle name! Seriously, the looks I get when I fill in a form…"

"Thankfully my mother gave me my middle name." Star cut him off.

"Why now?" Amy had to ask.

"Because you're still breathing." The Doctor said.

"Well, I think this is about the washing-up, personally."  
"I mean, you're right, there's still heaps of stuff out there to look at." The Doctor pushed himself off the car.

"Did you know, there's a planet that translates to 'Volatile Circus?'?" Star gave a small chuckled, "but maybes there's a bigger, scarier adventure waiting for you in there."

Amy casted a glance back at the house, "even so, it can't happen like this. After everything we've been though. Everything. You can't just drop me off at my house and say goodbye like we shared a cab."

"And what the alternative?" the Doctor countered, "Us standing over your grave? Over your broken body? Over Rory's body?"

Amy pulled them into a hug, "if you bump into my daughter, tell her to visit her old mum sometime."

"Look after Rory." Star ordered lightly.

"Look after him," Amy nodded to the Doctor. "And you," she kissed the Doctor forehead, "Look after her."

The Doctor mock saluted before the Time Lord entered the TARDIS and dematerialised.

~.~

"So, you're number 12?" Star asked as she stood on the opposite side of the console to him.

"13." he stated quietly. "The matacrisis counted as a regeneration."

She walked around the side of the console and squeezed him tightly. "All the more reason to make our time count."

She wanted longer with him, NEEDED loner with him. If this was his last, they needed to make the most of it, he would Not die at Utah, she wouldn't let it happen. she refused.


	14. Closing time

The Doctor rung the doorbell of a quaint house, they'd been alone for 2 hundred years now, just the two of them, doing a farewell tour and who else should they go to see than the man who had to put up with them living in his flat. The door opened and Craig Owens shouted out, "im coping on my own!" and then his mouth fell open to see two people standing their, well one he recognised.

"Hello, Craig!" the Doctor grinned, "we're back!"

Craig blinked and looked at Star, who laughed and pointed at her face, "5th. Hello again."

He blinked again, "she didn't? How could she phone you?"

"How could you phone us? Sophie?"

"Nobody phoned us." The Doctor shook his head, "We're just here," he leaned forwards and peeked inside, "you've redecorated! I don't like it."

"It's a different house," Star whispered to him.  
"We moved." Craig nodded.

"Yes, that's it." The Doctor agreed.

"What are you doing here?" Craig asked, "What happened to you?" he looked at Star.

"I regenerated." She shrugged.

"Thought it was about time I tried a social call." The Doctor remarked, "How are you?"

"Im fine," Craig replied slowly.

"This is the bit where we say, 'we're fine, too' isn't it? We're fine, too. Good. Love to Sophie, bye!" he and Star turned around and began walking off…when a light flickers.

"Something's wrong." Star frowned.

They ran inside, Craig shutting the door behind them as the Doctor scanned around with the sonic, "on your own, you said," the Doctor muttered running up the stairs "but you're not…you're not on your own!"

"Just, shh!" Craig followed them.

"Increased sulphur emissions. And look at the state of this place. What are you not tell us?"

"Doctor, please!"

"Shh!"

"No, you shh!"

"Shh!"

"Quiet!" Star whispered-shouted at them and entered a bedroom door.

"Star!" the Doctor ran in after her to find themselves in a small nursery with stuffed toys and cloth hanging on the walls, "whatever you are, get off this planet!"

"Dad!" Star hissed as a baby from the cot began to cry.

"Oh, you've woken him!" Craig groaned.

~.~

The Doctor closed the freezer and turned to Craig who was walking around the kitchen holding the baby, Star sat at the table pulling faces at the baby getting a few giggles out of it, "So when you say 'on your own...'" he began.

"Yes, I meant on my own with the baby, yes," Craig nodded, "cos no one thinks I can cope on my own. Which is so unfair. Because..." he broke down in stress, "I can't cope in my own with him! I can't. He just cries. All the time. I mean, do they have off switches?"

The Doctor sat next to Star and looked through a pregnancy book, "Human beings? No, I've checked."

"No, babies." Craig put the baby in his high chair.

"Same difference," Star shrugged, "this normal works," she put a finger to her lips, "Shh." the baby stopped crying, "there we go."

"Can you teach me to do that?" Craig gaped at her.

The Doctor now looked through the baby book, "probably not."

"Oh, please come in, I need something, I'm rubbish at this." Craig begged

"At what?" the Doctor looked at him.

"Being a dad. You read all the books; they tell you you'll know what to do if you follow your instinct. I have no instinct' that's what this weekends about, trying to prove to people I can do this one thing well."

The Doctor laughed at the book as Star asked Craig, "So what did you call him?"

"Will I blush?" the Doctor grinned.

"No, we didn't call him 'the Doctor'!" Craig rolled his eyes.

"No. I didn't think you would."

"He's called Alfie." he told them, turning to make some tea, "What are you doing here anyway?"

Star leaned over, listening to Alfie gurgle, "yes, he likes that, Alfie."

"Though personally he prefers to be called Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All," the Doctor added.

"Sorry, what?" Craig turned I them.

"That what he calls himself."

"How do you know that?"

"We speak baby."

"Of course you do! I don't even know when his nappy needs changing," Craig sat down at the table, "I'm supposed to be his dad."

"Yeah, he was wondering where his mum is." Star remarked as the Doctor massaged Craig's shoulders, "Where is Sophie?"

"Gone away with Melina for the weekend," he sighed, "Needs a rest."

"Stormageddon!" Star laughed, "He's your dad, you shouldn't call him 'not-mum.'"

"Not-mum?"

"That's you," the Doctor nodded, "Also not-mum, that's me and Star. Everyone else is...peasants."

"That's unfortunate," Star laughed, tickling Alfie's head.

"What are you doing here?" Craig repeated.

"We just popped in to say hello. You said it yourself that I probably would come visit again."

"We've been knocking about on our own," the Doctor sighed, "A farewell tour. One last thing, popping in to see you, then im off to the Alignment of Exedor."

"The Alignment of Exedor?" Craig frowned.

"17 galaxies in perfect unison. Meant to be spectacular. We can't miss it. Literally can't. It's locked in a time statis field, get one crack at flying the TARDIS into it.

"If you get your dates right," Star gave him a pointed look.

He rolled his eyes at her, "which I have."

"Sounds nice," Craig commented.

"So this is us popping in and popping out again. Just being social, just having a laugh. Never mind that."

"Never mind what?"

"Nothing."  
"No, you noticed something," Craig stood up, "You've got your noticing face on. I have nightmares about that face."

"Nope, given up all that, done with noticing things," the lights flickered.

"You didn't notice that, did you?" Star asked.

"No, I didn't. Got to go. Good seeing you, Craig." He shook the mans hand, "Goodbye Stormageddon." He gave Alfie two Gallic air kisses.

"Bye Craig," Star hugged him, "by Stormy," Star kissed the baby's head before the Doctor took her head and the walked off.

"No, no, wait, wait, could you do the shushing thing? Shh." Craig rushed after them as Alfie began fussing again.

"Only works once, and only on life forms with underdeveloped brains."

"Hang on, you said farewell tour? What do you mean farewell?"

"Shh…" the Doctor put a finger to his lips and Craig couldn't speak.

~.~

"Just go." The Doctor murmured to himself as they walked out of the house, "Stop noticing. Just go! Stop noticing! Just go. Stop noticing. Just go. Stop it!" a streetlight flickered, "am I noticing?" he asked Star.

"A bit." She nodded

"Im not. And what I am not doing is scanning for electrical fluctuations." He scanned around with the sonic, "oh, shut up!" he looked warningly at Star. "We're just dropping in on a friend, the last thing I need right now is a patina teleport energy." He rested his head against the TARDIS, "I am through saving them."

"I don't think you'll ever been though saving humans."

"Are you noticing?"

"Yeah." She admitted, "Please," she gave him her big 'puppy dog' eyes.

~.~

The Doctor stood in front of a small group of children, demonstrating to them a remote control helicopter, "It goes up-tiddly up, it goes down-tiddly down-down. For only £49.99, which I think is a bit steep but then again it's your parents' cash and they'll only waste it on boring stuff like lamps and vegetables, yawn!"

Star, who stood slightly to the side, out of harms way, laughing, spotted Craig pushing Alfie in a stroller, on the phone to someone, know doubt Sophie.

"Nobody panic!" the Doctor called, "But I appear to be losing control."

"Emergency landing!" Star giggled.

The helicopter landed just behind Craig.

"Oops," the Doctor knelt down to all the children, "Guys. Guys, ladies and gentlemen, while I deal with this awkward moment you go and find your parents/guardians! Try in lamps!" he high-fived one of the young girls as all the children ran off.

"Hi Craig!" Star waved.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Craig demanded, walking over.

"I'm the Doctor. I work in a shop now. They gave me a badge," the Doctor pointed to the badge, "With my name of in case I forget who I am, very thoughtful, as that does happen."

"You were leaving...the alignment of Exeter, what about that? One chance to see it, you said."

"Well, we were on our way, saw a shop, got a job, you got to live the moment, Craig."

"Mind Yappy." Star nodded behind him.

"What?" Craig frowned.

"Yappy. The robot dog."

"Not as much fun as I remember." the Doctor shrugged, stroking the robot dog.

"Like K9."

"You look awful, Craig!"

"I haven't slept, have I?" Craig reminded them, "I still can't stop him crying. I even tried singing to him last night."

"Yeah," Star slowly nodded, "He did mention that. He thought you were also crying. He didn't get a wink. Yappy, say bye-bye to Craig and Stormy, can I call you stormy?" Alfie gurgled. "Thank you."

The Doctor picked up the dog and pretended the dog was talking, "Goodbye Craig. Goodbye Stormy." he set the dog down as something whizzed across the floor, "What was that?" he and Star took off down the aisle.

"You're here for a reason aren't you?" Craig accused, "You've noticed something, and you're investigating it." the Doctor went down in his hands and knees, "because it's you, it's going to be dangerous and alien."

"It might not be." Star argued as the Doctor stood back up.

"I live here, I need to know!"

"Nah, you don't."

"My baby lives here, my son."

"And he is adorable. Takes after his mum."

"Sheila Clack, went missing Tuesdays." the Doctor mused, "Atif Ghosh, last seen Friday. Tom Luker, last seen Sunday."

Craig picked up a newspaper, "Whys that not on the front page?"

"Page one had an exclusive on Nina," the Doctor remarked, "A local girl who got kicked off Britain's Got Talent. These people are on pages 7, 19, 22." he walked off as Star followed and pushed Alfie in the stroller, "No-ones noticed yet, they're far too excited about Nina's emotional journey, which in fairness, is quite inspiring."

"And what else?" Craig followed them.

"These funny old power fluctuations..." Star answered, "Which just happen to coincide with the disappearances."

"That's just the council, putting in new cables. Isn't it?"

The Doctor stopped in front of a blocked lift, "Oh, yes, that's it, mystery solved, oh, wasting our time, now you can go home and," he soniced the lift, "Me and Star can go to Exedor, goodbye and here's a lift."

"It says out of order." Craig pointed out.

"Not anymore." he pulled the tape block the lift apart, "See? Here to help."

Star handed the stroller back to Craig and walked into the lift.

"It says danger," Craig read to warning sign.

"Oh, rubbish," Star scoffed, "Lifts aren't dangerous."

"Do I look like I'm stupid?"

Alfie gurgled.

"Stormy!" She gasped, "Bad boy!"

"All right, there's more!" the Doctor admitted as entered the lift with them, sonicing the panel, the doors shutting behind them. "Just between, you, me, Stormy and Star, don't want to frighten my punters. Someone's been using a teleport relay, right here in this ship. Missing people last seen in this area," he placed a finger to Craig's lips, "Before you ask, CCTV's been wiped."

"A teleport?" Craig stammered, "A teleport? Like a beam me up teleport, like you see in Star Trek?"

"Exactly. Someone's been using a beam me up Star Trek teleport. Could be disguised as anything."

"But a teleport? In a shop? That's ridiculous!"

The lights flickered and the Time Lords realised that they were no longer in the lift but on a Cybership. Star quickly bent down in front of Alfie and began distracting him, keeping him happy.

"What was that?" Craig asked, "Was that the lights again?"

"Yup!" Star jumped up, "The lights, that's was all."

"Why did you do that?"

"What did she do?" the Doctor asked, his voice going squeaky.

"Why did your voice go all high and squeaky?"

"Craig, just look at dad," Star took his hand and placed them in the Doctors.

"Just keep looking at me Craig," the Doctor agreed, "Right at me, just keep looking at me."

"Why?" Craig frowned.

"Because I'm always looking for a way to keep him happy," Star made up, "and you make him happy, because..." she looked at the Doctor, giving him a look to keep Craig occupied.

"Because, I love you!" the Doctor told him.

"You love me?" Craig blinked, taken back.

"Yes, Craig. It's you. It's always been you."

"Me?"

The Doctor put his arms around Craig's shoulders and pulled out the sonic as Star went back to occupying Alfie, "Is that so surprising?" the Doctor asked.

"Doctor, are you going to kiss me?" Craig tried to lean back.

"Yes, Craig. Yes I am. Would you like that? Bit out of practice, but I've had some wonderful feedback."

"So wonderful that you got 4 kids out of it." Star murmured.

"Star!" he flushed.

"It's true!"

"Doctor," Craig interrupted, "We can't, I'm taken and you have Star," he turned around and saw that they were on the Cybership, "Oh my god!"

"Or we could just hold hands," the Doctor winced, his plan for Craig not to see the ship had failed, "would that make you feel more comfortable?"

"What is happening?"

A Cyberman appeared at the other end of the ship.

"Well first of all," the Doctor began, "I don't really love you, except as a friend."

"And what is that?" Craig cried as the Cyberman walked towards them.

The Doctor activated a sonic on the ships machinery and they were back in the lift just before the Cyberman reached them.

"That was fun," Star grinned.

"What the hell just happened?" Craig demanded.

"They must have linked the teleport relay to the lift but I've fused it!" the Doctor remarked walking out of the lift and down the aisles, Craig pushing the strolled behind him and Star skipped to keep up with them, "They can't use that again. Stuck up there in their spaceship."

"What were those things?"

"Cybermen." Star stated.

"Ship? Space ship? We were in space?"

~.~

The small group looked up at the sky as they exited the department store, the Doctor held the sonic up, scanning the sky.

"It's got to be up there somewhere," Star frowned.

"Can't get a fixed," the Doctor murmured, "It be must be shielded."

"You fused the teleport," Craig reminded them, "You sorted it. They can't come back."

"I've just brought us a little time. Still got to work out what they're doing before I can stop it."

"But if they've got the teleport and they're evil, why haven't they invaded already?"

"Craig," Star turned to him, "Take Alfie and go."

"No!"

"No?" the Doctor turned to him.

"No, I remember from last time. People got killed, people that didn't know you. I know where it's safest, for me and Alfie. And that's right next to you both."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, you always win, you always survive!"

"Those were the days." the Doctor sighed.

"I can help you, I'm staying!"

"Aww, Craig," Star grinned at him, "You are awesome. Come on, let's go investigating!"

"There's no immediate danger now." the Doctor agreed.

~.~

The next day, in the jewellery department, the Doctor, Star and Craig, pushing the stroller, walked through.

"Good afternoon, Val," the Doctor greeted the older woman behind the counter.

"Hello," Val waved to them.

The Doctor started to walk behind the counter when Craig grabbed his arm, "Where am I investigating?" he hissed.

"Well, look around," the Doctor whispered back, "Ask questions. People like it when you're with a baby, babies are sweet, people talk to you."

"That's why we take humans with us." Star added.

"I'm your baby?" Craig frowned.

"No, you're dad's baby."

"So I'm you're baby?" Craig turned to the Doctor.

"You're my baby!" the Doctor hugged Craig.

Craig walked off to another department with Alfie as the Doctor put on a pair of sunglasses.

"Hope you don't mind me saying, Doctor," Val smiled, "But I think you look ever so sweet, you and your partner and the baby, you must love your little brother, Star."

Star tried her hardest not to laugh at that. Of course the Doctor wouldn't understand what she meant, and she was proven correct with the Doctor muttering, "Partner. Yes, I like it. Is I better than 'companion?'"

"Companion sounds old-fashioned. There's no need to be coy these days."

"Have you noticed anything unusual around here lately, Val?" Star asked the woman.

"Well..." she trailed.

"Well, what?"

"Mary Warnock, saw Don Petheridge snogging Andrea Groom outside the Conservative Club on his so-called day of 'golfing.'"

"Yeah," the Doctor nodded slowly, before remarking to Star, "maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all." he air-kissed Val on both cheeks and they both began walking off.

"And then there's that silver rat thing."

The Time Lords turned back around, "What?" they asked in unison.

~.~

The Doctor scanned under a table with the sonic in the children's department. Star held a large net close by.

"A sliver rat." the Doctor stood up, "Glowing red eyes."

"Yes, then it zizzed off," Val nodded, "I wanted to get one for my nephew, but stockroom say there's no such item."

"I bet they do," Star mumbled as the Doctor put the sonic away.

"Well, what was it then? Answer me that."

Before they could answer there was a loud crash from another department, sounding like stands falling over. "What's all that hullabaloo?" Val wondered.

"Uh! That'll be my partner!" The Doctor replied as Star handed the net to Val and they ran off to the ladies department to find Craig rocking the stroller, trying to calm Alfie down.

"Hello, everyone!" the Doctor called as they approached, "Here to help."

"Hello Doctor," a young employee, Kelly, greeted.

"Hello, Star." George nodded

"Hey Kels. Looking good as always George," Star winked at him.

"Looking beautiful as always, Star."

"Hello," the Doctor interrupted, "Has anyone seen a silver eat?" they looked blankly at him, "Ok. Long shot, I see you've met our friend, Craig. Nice uniform George," he gave him the 'ok' sign and whistled.

"Thank you, Doctor. If he's with you two, that's all right then."

"Sorry," Kelly apologised, "I thought he was hassling me, cause that's the last thing I need today. Cause Shona's not turned up, right, do I'm doing twice the work for the same money."

"Shh." the Doctor put his fingers to his lips, silencing Kelly.

"Please teach me how to do that," Craig begged.

"No," Star turned to Kelly, "Who's Shona?"

"My supervisor," Kelly sighed, "She's meant to be in today but never showed up."

"Where did you last see her?"

~.~

The Doctor and Craig walked down the ladies changing room's corridor. Star walked behind them, she said she'd investigate as this was the ladies room, but the Doctor disagreed. The 2 centuries or however long it had been since they'd last seen the Ponds, he had grow a lot more protective of her, not that see needed protecting so much, see was more than capable of looking after herself and he knew it, but she wasn't complaining, she loved it!

"How do you do that?" Craig asked, cutting her out of her thoughts, "it's a power, isn't it, some sort of weird alien hypnotic power, I bet you excrete some sort of gas that makes people love you."

"Would that I could, Craig," the Doctor remarked, before he opened a curtain and a woman screamed, he quickly closed the curtain again, "Sorry, madam," he peeked back in, "I'd try that in red if I were you."

"I'm right though, aren't I?"

"Craig, can you honestly say that you like the last me?" Star looked at him.

"You were alright, I guess," he shrugged, fumbling for the right why to say it, "Bit grumpy at times."

"Yeah, that summed me up. Not now though." she gave him a big grin.

The Doctor peered into another room, "You love me, I've never excreted any weird alien gases at you."

"I don't love you!" Craig defended, "Don't start that again."

Alfie gurgled and Star smiled at him, "Yes I know. Of course he does. I do too, although a different kind of love."

"Of course you do," the Doctor agreed, "We're partners."

"But I did exactly what you would have done and I nearly got arrested!" Craig cried.

Alfie gurgled again, "Stormy thinks you should believe in yourself," Star translated as the Doctor scanned around.

"Great, now my baby is reviewing me."

The Doctor stepped into the last room, "Here. Right here. Last night, a Cyberman took Shona."

"A Cyberman...I thought it was a little silver rat?"

"It's not a rat," Star corrected, "it's a Cybermat."

"All right," Craig grumbled, "Don't have a go at me just cos I don't know the names."

Star gave him a hug from behind, "I'm not having a go at you, but now you've learnt something new."

"And that's enough hugging thank you," the Doctor cut in and pulled Star into a hug of his own, making her giggle before she pulled away and walked off back down the corridor.

"So what happened then?" Craig asked as they followed her.

"What happened what?" the Doctor frowned.

"How did she regenerate?"

"Oh...you know pirates, water, green singing shark in an evening gown." Craig raised his eyebrows at him, "It wasn't actually a shark, it was more a siren, a nurse sort of thing..." he sighed, "She almost drown but the siren went after her and," he shrugged, "she could either stay with the siren or regenerate."

Craig patted his back, "So it wasn't you fault. Don't go blaming yourself."

The Doctor could only nod before clapping his hands, "come on then." the headed after Star with Craig pushing Alfie in the stroller.

Fact was, he did blame himself, each time she had regenerated was all because of him, he was meant to protect her, protect her from regenerating, bang up job he was doing.

"Cybermats are infiltrators," Star explained as the men caught up, "Very small, very deadly, they collect power like bees collect pollen. One of them's been sucking the electrical energy from this area."

"But why a shop?" the Doctor shook his head, "You know, why not a nuclear power station?"

"Ok, why?" Craig asked.

Star grinned, "No idea. So we'd best ask it."

"You're crazy."

"Yes I am."

"We wait for the shop to shut," the Doctor nodded, "We stake the place out and grab ourselves a Cybermat."

"And this is just a coincidence, is it?" Craig rounded on them.

"What is?" the Doctor frowned at him.

"Aliens in Colchester? Aliens twice in my life, happening to me just when you turn up."

"This is not our fault, Craig."

Alfie began fussing in the stroller, "Shh, Shh. Look what you've done."

"It's his nappy," Star told him.

"He's mentioned it twice," the Doctor added.

"I don't speak baby do I?" Craig reminded them.

"There's a changing station over by the electrical goods," Star pointed.

"And of course, you know that," he recalled being in her mind, the girl was very clever when she wanted to be, but she preferred not to show just how smart she was, "Come on, Alfie," he headed off in the direction she pointed.

"Craig, it's a coincidence," the Doctor called after him, "It happens, it what the universe does for..." he trailed off see Amy and Rory walking around, Rory carry a few bags.

A little girl ran up to Amy, "Can I have your autograph please?"

"Yeah," Amy gladly took the girls' notepad, "Sure."

"...Fun." the Doctor finished; Star took his hand and pulled him behind so clothing rack, so they could watch but not be spotted.

"What's your name?" the heard Amy ask.

"Ellie," the girl answered.

Amy signed the notepad, "I like you headband."

"Thank you."

"Alright?" Rory asked.

"There you go." Amy handed Ellie her notepad.

"Thank you," Ellie smiled, waving at them as they walked off. Ellie turned to her mother and pointed towards where the Doctor and Star were standing. They turned to see a large ad, with Amy's face in it for a perfume named Petrichor 'For the girl who's tired of waiting.'

"Amelia Pond," the Doctor smiled fondly.

"From Kissogram to perfume model," Star laughed lightly.

~.~

The Doctor, Star and Craig with Alfie, hid behind the counter in the perfume department as George walked past in patrol. Star held a net in her hand as the Doctor got the sonic out.

"Ok, Shh." the Doctor hissed as they slowly stood up, he began scanning around with the sonic. "Right. Let's be having you then, Cybermat."

Alfie began to cry, "Can you out that on quiet?" Craig whispered as he tried to calm Alfie down.

"No! It's a sonic screwdriver. Sonic equals sound!" he took something out of his jacket, "Take this. I got it on my discount. 10% off. It's a papoose," he dropped it over Craig.

"Why do I need a papoose?"

"Alfie wants to attach you to him." Star told him, "He says you're to slow when he summons you."

"When's he going to stop giving me marks?"

"Never," the Doctor answered, "That's parenthood. They never stop complaining and whining and moaning and..." he glanced at his daughter, "Are you going to kill me?"

"Not in front of Alfie," she stated.

"Could you have gotten a babysitter?" he asked as Alfie gurgled, "no, any babysitter...doesn't have to be a hot one." he gurgled, "Absolutely not!"

"Don't worry Alfie," Star laughed at his compliment, "Another time perhaps."

Craig could only shake his head, "I told everyone I know I didn't need their help this weekend, they won't answer my calls. I didn't know there was going to be an invasion of Cybermen," Alfie fussed. "Shh."

"Hey Alfie," She smiled at the baby, "Wanna see a trick?" he gurgled and she flashed he eyes at him earning a small giggle from him. She suddenly lunged forwards and caught the Cyberman in the net. "Ha!"

"That very odd. It must be in low power." the Doctor mused, taking it from Star.

"Or I'm very good."

"Or its low power." she looked at him, "No, you're right, you're very good."

"Oh, is that it?" Craig looked at it.

"Yeah."

"Oh, it's quiet cute look at that. Look, Alfie, look."

The Cybermat opened its mouth to reveal two rows of sharp teeth. The Doctor quickly soniced it as Craig screamed.

"Metal rat," Craig panicked, "Real mouth! Metal rat, real mouth, metal rat, real mouth!"

"Stop screaming!" Star shouted at him_, 'STOP SCREAMING!' _she shouted in his mind and he stopped.

They heard a scream in the distance.

"Come on!"

The Time Lords ran off and Craig quickly put Alfie in the papoose before following.

~.~

They ran into the basement, and the Doctor lit the way using the sonic as a torch. "George!" he yelled.

Star looked around and spotted a torch on the ground before noticing Georges body, "George..." she breathed and bent down to examine the body.

"Star!" the Doctor suddenly yelled.

She looked back only for a Cybermans arm to knock her to the ground. Her world going black.

~.~

"Star!" the Doctor called to her as she came around.

"Doctor! Star! What happened?" Craig asked. By the time he had caught up with them, they were both lying on the ground unconscious, he had quickly woke the Doctor up who had shot up with a cry of "Star!" before he'd shuffled to the girls side and woken her up.

"Ow." She groaned, sitting up, "My head."

"Yeah, we've been chipped, chapped...chopped!" the Doctor pulled her to her feet.

"The Cyberman...it killed George." she looked around for the body, "Took him back to the ship."

"The Cybermen are here!" Craig's eyes widened, "But you said."

"Yeah, I know what I said," the Doctor scanned around with the sonic, "But I fused the teleport it should have taken them days to repair."

"Are you both ok?"

"We should be dead...but the arm it chopped us with; it was damaged, old spare parts. Must have changed those missing people."

"They changed the missing into Cybermen? Why didn't they change you?"

"Craig, we're Time Lords," Star reminded him, "Not exactly compatible."

"But why are they using spare part, why?" the Doctor wondered, "Everything we find makes less sense!"

"Both of you listen to me," Craig cut in, "If the Cybermen are here, then we're not safe, we've got to go. We've got to go back to base."

Star blinked at him, partly from being knocked out, partly from confusion, "We have a base? Since when did we have a base?"

~.~

Back in Craig house, the Doctor sat at the kitchen table, watching Star intently as she mixed up something on the kitchen table, playing mad scientist. The Cybermat was next to her.

"I'm going down the shops," Craig informed them, "We're out of milk. You know what to do if he cries," he tossed the intercom at the Doctor.

"No!" the Doctor caught the intercom.

"Me neither!" Craig called from the hallway.

As soon as they heard the font door shut, Alfie cried.

Star smiled slightly and got up from her chair, "Come on then."

They headed upstairs to Alfie's room. Above his crib was a soft mobile of the moons and stars. As it turned around, music played and protected stars onto the ceiling.

"Hello, Stormageddon," the Doctor cautiously stepped into the room, as Star watched from the doorway, "It's the Doctor and Star, here to help." he picked up a small stuffed bunny trying to get Alfie's attention, "Shh. There, there. Be quiet. Go to sleep. Really, stop crying." Alfie looked at him, "You've got a lot to look forward to, you know. A normal human life on Earth. Mortgage repayments, the 9 to 5, a persists t nagging sense to spiritual emptiness. Save the tears for later, boyo. Oh, no!" he rubbed his head, "That was crabby. No, that was old! But I am old, Stormy. I am so old. So near the end." he picked Alfie up, "You, Alfie Owens, you are so young, aren't you? And, you know, right now, everything's ahead of you. You could be anything. Yes, I know. You could walk among the stars. They don't actually look like that, you know, they are rather more impressive," he tried to pull the sonic out but couldn't with Alfie in his arms.

Star smiled fondly and walked into the room, "Give him here," she took Alfie from him and the Doctor soniced the projection and it became a more realistic projection of the stars. "You know when I was young, I dreamt of the stars. I'm living that dream. And I've never been happier. Have fun and live you life to the best, Alfie." she kissed his head.

"You're dads trying his best you know," the Doctor remarked, "Yes, I know. It's not his fault he doesn't have mammary glands. No, but neither do I. I'm coping looking after Star; I've done a pretty good job."

"Yes, you have." she nodded before coming serious, "But why is there a sinister beeping noise from the door?"

They looked over to see the Cybermat at the doorway, chomping its mouth.

"Oh, no you don't!" the Doctor quickly soniced it, "Come in, Alfie. Run! It's only stunned." he ushered Star out with Alfie and followed then down the stairs and through the kitchen to the back door.

"It's going to be ok," Star reassured Alfie as he fussed, "We're going outside. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

The Doctor opened the door but in his hurry to ensure they were safe he dropped the sonic and the door locked behind them.

"No!" he groaned as he tried to door.

"Call Craig!" she ordered, bobbing Alfie up and down.

He quickly pulled the phone out and called Craig's mobile, "Come on, Craig, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up!" it went to answer phone, "Craig, don't worry, Alfie is fine, but on no account enter the house."

"Doctor!" Craig screamed from inside the house.

They turned to see the Cybermat trying to get to Craig throat and he tried to fight it off.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

"Help me!"

Star stared intently at the glass in the door, her eyes glowing red as the glass shattered and the Doctor ran though to help. She stayed a safe distance away, with Alfie, watching them, if they needed any help.

She watched as Craig pulled the Cybermat away from his throat, and it tried to attack the Doctors throat. He through it to the floor as Craig hit it with a baking tray, and held it down. As the Doctor found the right frequency on the sonic and finally 'killed' it.

She laughed with relief and ran back inside with Alfie.

"Alfie!" Craig sighed, seeing his son safe.

"He's fine," she assured him, "He's a tough boy like his dad."

~.~

The Doctor sat on the sofa working on the Cybermat using a loupe. Star sat next to him.

"I'm knackered," Craig yawned as he held Alfie in his arms, "That thing was eating up the electricity."

"And transmitting it up to the Cybership," the Doctor nodded.

"But why do they need power?" Star wondered.

"Why are those conversions not complete yet?"

"And what are they doing up there?"

"You said you were going to look at its brain." Craig reminded him.

"I had to wipe its brain." the Doctor said, "Now I can reprogram it, use it as a weapon against them."

Craig sat down on the Doctors right, "The Cybermat came after us?"

"No, after US." he gestured between him and Star.

"They sent it after us?"

"After US. Because of us, you and Alfie nearly died," he took the loupe away from his eye, "Do you still feel safe with me, Craig."

"I do!" Star cheered.

"You can't help who your mates are." Craig shrugged.

"No!" the Doctor shook his head, "I am a stupid and selfish man. Always have been. I should have made you do," he sighed, "We never should have come here."

"But it was my idea to come," Star reminded him, "We were leaving. I didn't want too. My fault." she leaned her head in his shoulder.

"It's never your fault."

"What would have happened if you hadn't come?" Craig countered, "Who else knows about Cybermen and teleports?"

"I put people in danger."

"Stop beating yourself up! If it wasn't for you this whole planet would be an absolute ruin."

The Doctor put the Cybermat down, "Craig, very soon I won't be here...my time is running out. I don't mean Exedor. Silence will fall when the question is asked. Don't even know what the question is. Always know I'd die still asking. Thing is Craig, its tomorrow. Can't put it off any more. Tomorrows is the day I..." he looked over to see Craig as Alfie fast asleep. Sighing, he covered them with a blanket.

~.~

The Doctor stuck a small note on blue paper written in silver ink to the refrigerator, 'Dear Craig, gone to stop Cybermen. Sorry, goodbye. The Doctor and Star,' before they headed out the front door and into the morning light, "safe mode," he muttered, "Clever me. Come along Bitey." he petted the Cybermat and walked off.

"See told you it was a good name." Star grinned. Last night after he had reprogrammed it, after Craig had fallen asleep, she'd named it Bitey...because it had lots of teeth.

~.~

They hurried through the ladies department before it was opening for they day, looking around, when Val walked over and greeted them, "Morning!"

"Morning," Star replied, distracted.

"Teleports still fused," the Doctor rambled, "They didn't repair it. Do the Cyberman last night, how did it get down here, how did it get out? And why...why am I asking you?" he pointed at Val, "And not her?" then at Star.

"You found the silver rat!" Val smiled brightly, seeing the Cybermat.

"But where are the silver men?" Star wondered as she began walking to the ladies changing rooms.

"Secondary teleport," the Doctor continued rambling, "No, there is no other teleport, they must have had a back-up system, something complicated, something powerful, something shielded."

"Daddy..." Star cut him off, "You know you say I ramble?"

"Yes...?"

"I know where I get it from." she smiled innocently at him.

He nodded slowly, agreeing with her, before continuing, "They must have something...something like a door. A door!" they went into the last room.

"A disillium-bonded steel door disguised at a wall!" Star pouted, "That's cheating!" she crossed her arms in a small huff, "No fair!"

He pushed the mirror and it swung out on its hinges to reveal a roughly carved tunnel, "So...it didn't teleport down. It climbed up." he pulled the sonic out and walked down the tunnel. They quickly walked down and into a large cavern where the Cybership was hidden.

With a nod to each other, the entered the ship and looked around.

The Doctor gave a low whistle, "Well, well, well. You have been busy."

Looking around at the ground, half buried in the dirt, Star found George's name tag. They heard stomping from behind, the Doctor quickly made his way over to Star as a Cyberman approached.

"You have come to us." it stated.

"Took us awhile," Star shrugged, standing up again, "Stuff on our minds." Different stuff of course, but still both of them had been thinking about what was to happen in Utah.

"Let's see," the Doctor faced the Cyberman, "This ship crashed here centuries ago, no survivors, but the systems are dormant waiting for power. And then the council stick a load of new cables right on top of you."

"Bitey wakes up and channels the power, you start crewing up from the shop as best you can, not enough power, not enough working parts."

"When we are ready we will emerge." the Cyberman stated, "We will convert this planet to Cyberform."

"What?" Star laughed at them, "the 6 of you?"

"You know that is enough. You know us. You are the Star and the Doctor."

"Just Star!" she stressed. Why does nobody understand that? Is it hard to understand unless you're Time Lord?

"Correct," the Doctor nodded, "and the Doctor always gives you a choice. Deactivate yourself or I deactivate you." he aimed the sonic at it and it took a step back.

Star screamed as a Cyberman snuck up behind her and held her arms back. Another doing the same to the Doctor causing him to cry out in pain. The Cybermat fell to the ground.

"They must be the new leaders." One Cyberman decided.

"No," another disagreed, "They are not like us. Brain and binary vascular system incompatible. They will be discarded. Other body parts may be of us."

Suddenly Craig jumped into the room, a price scanner in his hands, holding it like a gun "Oi, Cyberman! Get off my planet, or I activate this."

"Craig!" the Doctor shouted, "Stop this, get out!"  
"Its like you said, Doctor, got to believe you can do it!"

"You located us?" the second Cyberman turned to him.

"Teleport in the lift, bit rubbish. That little Cybermat never stood a chance. See what you're dealing with?"

"You are compatible. You are intelligent." He touched his hand to his chest panel and shot a bolt of electricity at Craig forcing him to drop the scanner. The last Cyberman grabbed Craig and pulled him forwards.

"No, im not intelligent, you don't want me!" Craig yelled.

"Do not fear. We will take your fear from you. You will be like us. You will be more than us." He moved to one of the conversion chambers and opened it.

"No, no, no, no."

"You designation I'd Cyber Controller. You will lead us, we will conquer this world." They forced Craig into the chamber.

"Doctor! Star!"

"Craig!" Star struggled against the Cybermans grip.

"Do something! Please!" the part began to clamp onto his arms and legs, "DOCTOR! STAR!"

"Craig, don't worry," the Doctor assured him, "I've reprogrammed the Cybermat, it'll drain their power!" he pulled out the remote and the Cybermat scuttled along the floor…until the Cyberman stepped on it.

"You have failed, Doctor," it stated, "begin conversion! Phrase one. Cleanse the brain of emotions."

"No!" Star screamed, "Craig! Fight it! They can't convert you if you fight it! You're strong, don't give in to it!"

"Help me!" he cried.

"Think of Sophie," The Doctor tried, "Think of Alfie; don't let them take it all away!"  
"Make it stop. Please make it stop!"

"Craig, you have to listen to us!" Star called, "we believe in you, you can do this!"

"We've always believe in you! All our lives!" the Doctor added, "Im going to die, Craig. Tomorrow, im going to die, but I don't mind if you just prove me right! CRAIG!"

"CRAIG! You are braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think, you can do this!"

The headpiece closed around Craig and seamlessly welded shut down the middle, "Begin full conversion," the second Cyberman ordered.

They could only stare in horror as the machinery began to whir…

…until they heard a baby crying.

They looked at the monitors to see the security footage of Val trying to comfort a crying Alfie.

"Unknown sound wave detected." The first Cyberman said.

"It is the sound of fear. It is irrelevant. We will remove all fear."

"Alfie!" the Doctor shouted, "im so sorry! Alfie, please stop! We can't help him!"  
"Emotions eradicated conversion complete." Craig's fingers twitched and an alarm sounded, "Alert. Emotional subsystems rebooting. This is impossible." Energy began to crackle around the headpiece.

"He can hear him." Star realised, "he can hear Alfie!"

"Oh please, just give me this!" the Doctor began to smile, "Craig, you wanted a chance to prove you're a dad. You've never going to get better one than this!"

A creak appeared in the headpiece, "What is happening?" the second Cyberman demanded

"What's happening you metal moron? A baby is crying. And you better watch out, cos guess what? Ha!"

"Daddy's coming home!" Star laughed.

The headpiece opened, "Alfie!" Craig called out, fighting the machine and it began to overload. "Alfie, im here! Im coming for you!"

The Cyberman staggered form the emotional onslaught, "Yes Craig!" Star cheered, as the machine started to release Craig and the Time Lords where about to pull free of the Cybermans grip on them.

"Emergency. Emotional influx!" the second Cyberman called.

The Doctor pulled out the sonic to help Craig out, "you've triggered a feedback loop into their emotional inhibitors." He tossed the sonic to Star so she could unlock the other side,

She freed him, "All that stuff they cut out of themselves, now they're feeling it! Which means big boom!"

"Overload, overload, overload." The Cybermen cried.

They ran to the door, "get this open, we need to get to Alfie!" Craig urged.

"They've sealed the ship!" the Doctor breathed. They Cybers head began to explode.

"We've got to get out of here!"

"I know!" two more Cybers head exploded.

"The teleport!" Star remembered as they ran for the teleport. The Doctor quickly activated it with the sonic. The lift shook as the ship exploded. The Doctor pulled Star in tightly with Craig and pulled away when the lift pinged.

Craig ran over to Val as she calmed Alfie.

"How did you get in there?" Val frowned, spotting them.

"Alfie!" Craig breathed.

"Here's you daddy," she handed Alfie over to Craig as the Doctor and Star ran over.

"That was another review," the Doctor told him.

"10 out of 10." Star smiled.

"The Cybermen…they blew up. I blew then up with love!" Craig hugged his son.

"No, that's impossible," the Doctor shook his head, "and also grossly sentimental and over simplistic. You destroyed them because of the deeply ingrained hereditary human trait to protect one's own genes which in turn…" the Doctor began but Star cut him off.

"You destroyed them with love!" she laughed.

~.~

Star rambled to Kelly in the ladies department as the Doctor smirked amused, just watching, "the buildings totally safe now, structurally and of course the bonded disillium contain the explosion."

"Right," Kelly nodded slowly, confused, "why are you telling me this?"

"I like hearing my own voice and you didn't tell me to stop. Shh."

Kelly fell silent.

They looked over to Craig at Val's counter wearing a new shirt.

"It suits you." Val complimented him.

"Thanks." Craig beamed.

"Discount applies to partners."

"Great."

Star snorted. At first she thought it was just the Doctor being oblivious but now it seemed that it was just all men. Men are idiots.  
"Are you two married then?"

"Nah, we talked about it, but it's just a piece of paper, isn't it?"

The Doctor walked over with Star and put an arm around Craig's shoulders, "thank you for your help, Val. Good noticing. Keep em peeled."

"I will," Val smiled, "im glad you two made up for the children's sake."

"Ah!" the Doctor looked at Star to see her red in the face as she tried not to laugh.

"How d'you mean?" Craig frowned.

"Its nice for children to have two daddies who love each other." Val remarked.

"Wait…hang on a sec! Two daddies!" he and the Doctor looked at each other as Star burst into a fit of giggled, "you think im…?"

"His companion." Val nodded.

Craig laughed and turned around, "Doctor?" only to see the Doctor and Star gone.

~.~

Craig stepped into his house and stopped in surprise, "who's tidied this up?" he looked around at the now spotless house, a vase of freshly cut flowers were now on the coffee table, he entered the kitchen to see the Doctor and Star enter through the newly-repaired door.

"See, we do come back." The Doctor commented.

"How did you…?"  
"We have a time machine!" Star reminded him.

"But even with time travel, getting glaziers on a Sunday, tricky." He ran his finger along the glass.

"You went back in time?" Craig gaped, "that means you used up your hours. What about Exedor?"

"Exedor Smexedor," Star waved him off, "We couldn't have you being in trouble with Sophie."

"You used up for time for me?"

"Course we did," the Doctor nodded, "you're my mate. I notice Stormageddon very quiet and happy."

"He prefers Alfie now." Star added, "And he is very proud of his dad."

"Are you proud of me?" the Doctor nudged Star, grinning madly.

"Why?" she blinked at him, "what have you done?"

"Well, I cleaned up all this mess!"

"So?"

He pouted causing her to giggle, "Im always proud of you. You're awesome." He beamed.

"He calls me dad?" Craig's eyes filled with tears.

"Yes, of course he does now!" she listened to Alfie gurgled, "Know I think all dads are just naturally thick."

"Shut up, you two!" Craig laughed.

"Well…" the Doctor clapped his hands, "Now its time. We have to go."

"Doctor, I know that something's wrong, I can help you."

"Nobody can help me. Not even Star. I hope Sophie wont mind. I need these." He held up a handful of blue envelopes.

"Where are you going to go?"

"America."

"Sophie will be home any second, are you sure?"

"I can't miss this appointment, Craig. Goodbye mate."

"Wait there. One second." He left the room and came back a moment later with a Stetson, "From Sean's stag." He put it on the Doctors head.

"Wow."

"You ride em, pardner."

"Suits you." Star nodded.

"Oh, thanks." The Doctor snapped his fingers on both hands and pointed them at Craig like a gun before heading to the back door.

"Bye." Craig called.

There was a knock at the front door and they headed out back to the TARDIS.

"Well then, old girl." He licked his thumb and wiped off a spot on the woodwork, "one last trip, eh?"

Star nudged him and he turned to see three children staring at them, "hey. Im the Doctor, this is Star." he took her hand and she squeezed it tightly, "we were here to help. And you are very, very welcome." He tipped his hat at them before entering the TARDIS with Star closing the doors behind her.


	15. The family of River Song

**Quick note- ~*~ is a flash back.**

The Doctor and Star had managed to shoot one of their enemy's ships down, well Star had anyway, she had taken great pleasure in this one in particular.

The Doctor, wearing the Stetson Craig had given him, walked into one of the room in a ship to see one of their enemy's twitching, still alive, he and Star slowly walked over to it.

"Imagine you were dying," the Doctor began, "imagine you were afraid and a long way from home and in terrible pain. Just when you thought it couldn't get worse you looked up…and saw the face of the devil himself."

Star smiled, "Hello Dalek."

The Dalek, lying on its side, struggled to get away from them, fires burning all around from the crash. "Emergency, emergency, weapon system disabled, emergency! Emergency! Emergency!"

"Too late. The rest are gone. It's just the 3 of us now."

The Doctor pulled out the sonic and removed the casing lid, "Just need information from your data core. Everything the Daleks know about the Silence!"

~.~

The Dalek led them to a man, Gideon Vandaleur. So they tracked him down to Calisto B, and followed him, hiding in the shadows as they watched him, hood up, enter a bar.

They quickly followed him and headed right to the bar.

"Gideon Vandaleur. Get him. Now." The Doctor ordered.

"Who says he's here?" the bartender sneered.

The Doctor just stepped to the side allowing Star to step up to the bar and placed the Daleks eyestalk on the counter, she smirked at him. "Wanna see if it's still functional?"

The bartender scurried off.

The Doctor led her to a table, "calm down."

She leaned her head on his chest, "I just want this to stop."

He smiled lightly and wrapped his arms around her. Honestly, he was more worried about her than himself. In the 200 years they had preparing, finding out more about the Silence, she had gone a little over the top.

He was a stupid and selfish man, wasting all of his regenerations and now Star would be alone because of him. He didn't care what happened to him, just as long as she was safe and happy, that's all that mattered.

The hooded man sat down opposite them cutting the Doctor out of his thoughts, he pulled his hood down to reveal a man with pale skin, shaggy blonde hair and an eye patch, far to much like Koviarans for them to be comfortable.

"Father Gideon Vandaleur." The Doctor greeted, "Former envoy of the Silence. Our condolences."

"Your what?" Vandaleur frowned.

"Gideon Vandaleur ha been dead for 6 months," Star replied and the Doctor activated the sonic at the man making him wince and freeze.

Star leaned into Vandaleur's eye, "Can we speak to the captain please?" the soldier inside the eye ran off.

"Hello again!" the Doctor grinned as Vandaleur stiffened, "The Teselecta, time-travelling shape-changing robot, powered by miniaturized people. Never get bored of that! Long time since Berlin."

"Doctor." Vandaleur said, but they knew it was the captain this time, "what have you done to our systems?"

"They'll be fine, if you behave. Now this unit can disguise itself as anything in the universe so if you're posing as Vandaleur, you're investigating the Silence…tell us about them."

"Tell you what?"

"One thing. Just one."

"Their weakest point." Star finished.

~.~

Star sat cross legged on a chair opposite Gantok, the weakest point of the Silence, he reminded her of a Viking wearing an eye patch and he was quite the gambler, which was why she was playing a game of chess with him and winning. One of the pieces was charged with electricity. The crowded cheered from above as the Viking hesitated to move the charged piece.

"The crowd are getting restless!" the Doctor laughed from the side, "they know the Queen is your only legal move. Except you've already moved it 12 times, which means there are now over 4 million volts running through it."

"That's why they call it live chess," Star smirked, "even with the gauntlet you'll never make it to bishop 4 alive."

"I am a dead man," Gantok said, "unless you concede the game."

"But in winning."

"Name your price."

"Information."

"I work for the Silence. They would kill me."

"They're going to kill me too, very soon." The Doctor remarked, "I was just going to lie down and take it, but you now what? Before I go, I'd like to know why I have to die."

"Dorium Maldovar is the only one who can help you."

"Dorium's dead." Star stated, "The Monks beheaded him at Demons Run, I was there."

"I know. Concede the game, Star…and I'll take you both to him."

Star glanced at the Doctor who nodded, sighing she tipped over her piece, conceding the game as the crowd booed.

~.~

Gantok led them down a tunnel, a torch in his hand, they followed a step behind. There were skills on every available surface.

"The Seventh Transept," Gantok explained to them, "Where the Headless Monks keep the leftovers. Watch your step, there are traps everywhere."

"Eww!" the Doctor grimaced as something scuttled across the floor, "I hate rats."

"There are now rats in the transept."

"Oh, good."

"The skulls eat them."

"That's even worse." Star muttered.

They eyed the skulls as they walked, the skulls watching them.

"The headless monks behead you alive, remember?" Gantok continued as they walked into a room where in the centre there were wooden boxes on the pedestals.

"Why are some in boxes?" Star asked.

"Because some people are rich and some people are left to rot. Dorium Maldovar was always very rich." He turned and put the torch onto a sconce as he Doctor scanned a beautifully decorated box. The latch clicked and he slid the door open to reveal Dorium's head, he coughed.

"Thank you for bringing us, Gantok." The Doctor said to him.

"My pleasure," he drew a gun at them, the Doctor quickly pulled Star behind him, "It saves me the trouble of burying you. Nobody beats me at chess!"

"Not my fault im too good for you." Star called before flashing her eyes at the trap door on the ground, Gantok falling down it with a scream.

They rushed over to see the skulls consuming him. The Doctor quickly soniced the trap closed as the skulls looked up at them.

"Hello?" Dorium jerked awake from the slam, "is someone there?" they walked over to him, "ah, Doctor! Star! Thank god its you. The Monks, they turned on me."

"Yeah," Star nodded, "I was there."

"Give it to me straight. How bad are my injuries?"

"Well…" the Doctor began, glancing between him and Star, unsure what to say.

Dorium began laughing, "oh, your face! Oh, it's not so bad really, as long as they get your box the right way up. I got a media-chip fitted in my head years ago, and the wi-fi down here is excellent. So I keep myself entertained."

"We need to know about the Silence."

"Oh. a religious order of great power and discretion. The sentinels of history, as they like to call themselves."

"And they want me dead."

"No, not really. They just don't want you to remain alive."

The Doctor scoffed, "that's ok. I was worried for a minute there."

"Why only him?" Star asked, it had been bugging her, why not rid both Time Lords at the same time? She would end up as bad as him in the end, or maybe even worse, most likely worse, so why didn't they just rid the universe of all Time Lords?

"Hes a man with a long and dangerous past. But his future is infinitely more terrifying. The Silence believe it must be averted."

"But why not me?"

"Not as much trouble I suppose. They assume you wouldn't care what happens to yourself."

"What if I wanted to avenge him?" She questioned. Because she would, she'd get revenge.

"Would you go against his last wishes?" Dorium challenged.

She fell silent.

The Doctor had to smile at that. The Silence didn't want her, she would be safe, they don't think her as much trouble. And that she would respect his wishes. But it faltered a bit; they assume she wouldn't care what happens to herself. They assume she wouldn't care if they went after her because he would already be dead and so she would be alone.

"You know," the Doctor sighed, "You could've told us this, the last time we met."

Dorium rolled his eyes, "It was a busy day and I got beheaded."

"What's so dangerous about my future?"

"On the fields of Trenzalore, at the fall of the eleventh, when no living creature could speak falsely, or fail to answer, a question will be asked. A question that must never, ever be answered."

"Silence will fall when the question is asked…"

"Silence MUST fall would be a better translation. The Silence are determined the question will never be answered. That the Doctor will NEVER reach Trenzalore."

"But what's it got to do with him?" Star shook her head.

"The first question. The oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight. Would you like to know what it is?"

"Yes!" the exclaimed in unison.

"Are you sure? Very, very sure?"

He swallowed, as the skulls turned to look at them, "of course."

"Then I shall tell you. But on your own head be it." he laughed and gestured for them to lean it.

"But..." Star frowned as he told them the question, "I can answer that, too."

"But it has to come from his mouth."

~.~

The Doctor and Star entered the TARDIS, Star carrying Dorium's head in his box.

"It's not my fault!" came Dorium's muffed voice, "put me back."

She put the box down the on the jump seat as the Doctor went to the console. "Ow! I've fallen on my nose." Star went over to the console as the Doctor got the date and time of his death on the monitor, "have you got wi-fi here? Im bored already and my nose is hurting? We all have to die, Doctor…but you more than most. You do see that, don't you? You know what the question is now, do you see that you have to die! Please open my hatch, I've got an awful headache…which to be honest means more than it used to."

"Dorium!" Star stormed over and opened the box, peering at an upside down Dorium, "I will throw you into a supernova!" she turned to box the right way up.

"Why Lake Silencio?" the Doctor asked him, "Why Utah?"

"It's a still point in time," he answered, "makes it easier to create a fixed point. And your death is a fixed point, Doctor."

"Been running all my life. Why should I stop now?"

"You can't run away from this. Because now you know what's at stake. Why your life ends."

"Not today," he moved to the phone and dialled, "Im not leaving Star again, never."

"What's the point in delaying? How long have you delayed already?"

"Last time he was supposed to die we spent years travelling the universe, why should this be any different?" Star countered.

"Yes!" the Doctor snapped his fingers at her, "we could invent a new colour, save the Dodo, join the Beatles! Star could sign a record company, she has a beautiful voice." He beamed as she blushed furiously, before he called into the phone, "Hello, it's me. Get him! Tell him, we're going out and it's all on me, except for the money and driving."

"We got a time machine," Star added to Dorium, "We have all the time we need."

"For us, it never stops," the Doctor agreed, "Liz the first is waiting in a glade to elope with me. I could help Rose Tyler with her homework; I could go on all of Jacks stag parties in one night."

"Time catches up with us all!" Dorium said.

"Well, it has never laid a glove on me. Hello?" he called into the phone.

Star didn't need to be able to read the Doctors mind as his smiled fell and turned into a frown. The Brigadier had passed away.

"Doctor?" Dorium called, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing." He put the phone down, "nothing. It's just…" he signed deeply and reached into his pocket pulling out the blue envelopes. "Its time," he breathed, "its time."

~.~

The Doctor put the envelopes on the table in front of the Teselecta, still in the form of Vandaleur. "Surely you could deliver the messages yourself." The captain spoke through the robot.

"It would involve crossing my own time stream...best not." The Doctor replied.

"According to our files, this is the end for you. Your final journey. We'll deliver your messages. You can depend on us."

"Thank you." Star took his hand and they headed to the door.

"Doctor," it stood, "whatever you think of the Teselecta, we are champions of law and order, just as you have always been. Is there nothing else we can do?"

The Doctor looked down at Star, "Ready?"

She squeezed his hand tightly, "nope." They walked out the door.

~.~

Star and a group of soldiers ran down the corridor to the Senate room of the Holy Roman Emperor Winston Churchill. She looked up and saw that on the ceiling in the room was a group of Silents, hanging like bats. Below them were Churchill and the Doctor in a roman garb and a beard.

She nodded to one of the soldiers and he threw a cylindrical device into the room and across the floor, beeping.

The Doctors eyes widened, "go!" he tried to run, knocking Churchill to the ground as the bomb went off. He too was knocked to the ground from the blast.

The soldiers burst into the room, "Go! Go! Keep the Silents in sight at all times, keep your eye drives active." They aimed their guns at the ceiling as Star, dress all in black stepped into the room.

"Who the devil are you?!" Churchill demanded, "Identify yourself!"

"Star." she saw the Doctor squint at her through the smoke, "Star!" he laughed and Churchill aimed his gun at her, "No! She's on our side, she's my daughter." He noticed her wearing the eye patch, "No! Star, why are you wearing that?!"

She ignored him and fired her gun at him who fell to the floor, unconscious.

~.~

Star sat crossed legged on the Orient Express, sitting on the floor next to the sofa the Doctor was lying unconscious on. They were on the train heading to Cairo to the Pyramids that were now Area 52. Time had stopped, 5:02pm 22nd April 2011. Time was falling apart before their very eyes, all of history happening at once. Everything was a mess. And all this was because River hadn't killed him at the lake, he hadn't 'died'. So she was waiting for him to wake up and get this sorted out.

She smiled as the Doctor blinked awake, "Sorry," she apologised, "stun guns aren't fun."

"Star?" he murmured.

"Hey." She hugged him tightly, and giggled, "You're beard tickles."

He slowly pulled away and looked around, "You have an office on a train."

She laughed, "No. Amy does."

"Amy? Amy!" he looked over at the doorway to see Amy standing there, also in black. "Amelia Pond for Leadworth…"

Star put a hand over his mouth, silencing him, "Look around."

Hand still over his mouth; he scanned the room, seeing drawing hanging on the wall from Amy's adventures, along with a small crafted TARDIS.

"You look rubbish." Was Amy's way of greeting him.

"You look wonderful." He smiled.

"Hey!" Star pouted, "What about me?"

"Black doesn't suit you."

"Yeah, I know. Wanted to give you a scare."

"Don't worry. We'll soon fix that." Amy reached into a small cabinet and pulled out his tweed jacket and bowtie.

The Doctor grinned as Amy handed them to him, "Geronimo!"

Star laughed and headed to the cabinet where she had kept her clothes for safe keeping.

~.~

Both Time Lords were back in their typical attire. The Doctor now shaven but his hair still long.

"Ok. You can turn round now." The Doctor told Amy as she sat at her desk, facing away from them giving them private to get changed. "How do I look?" he spun in a circle.

"Cool." Amy nodded

"Really?!"

"No."

"What about me?" Star grinned.

"Better than black." She offered.

"Cool office though." The Doctor commented, "Why do you have an office? Are you a special agent boss lady? Not sure about the eye patches."

"It's not an eye patch." Star told him, "but some of us noticed time has stopped. There's a group of us working on it."

"And you have an office on a train, this is so cool. Can I have an office? Never had an office before. Or a train. Or a train slash office."

"Hey," Star laughed, "If I don't even get an office neither do you."

Amy ran over to hug him, "god, I've missed you! It's hard being stuck with Star alone!"

"Hey!"

"Ok," the Doctor smiled hugging her back, "hugging and missing now." He looked between them, "where's the Roman?"

Amy's eyes widened, "you mean Rory!"

"Mmm."

"My husband Rory, yeah?" she held up a sketch she drew of him, "that's him, isn't it? I've no idea, I can't find him. I love him very much don't I?"  
"Apparently." He looked at the sketch, _'has she seen him?'_ he asked Star telepathically.

'_Captain Williams.'_ She nodded.

"I have to keep doing this." Amy continued, unaware of their silent communication, "I have to keep writing and drawing things. It's just so hard to keep remembering…it's a good thing Stars here to encourage me."

"You're very welcome." She smiled.

"Its not your fault, times gone wrong." The Doctor comforted her, "do you remember why?"  
"The lakeside." Amy nodded.

"Lake Silencio, Utah. I died."

"But then you didn't. I remember it twice, different ways."

"Two different versions of the same event, both happening in the same moment. Time split wide open. Now look at it." he pointed out the window, "All of history happening at once."

"Does it matter? I mean cant we just stay like this?"

"Amy, I've already told you," Star remarked, "Time is disintegrating. It will spread and all of reality will fall apart."

There was a knock at the door and captain Williams entered his own eye patch on. The Doctor looked at Star as she grinned and waved at him.

"We're about to arrive, ma'ams." He informed them, "eye drives need to be activated as soon as we disembark."

"Good point," Amy nodded, "Thank you, Captain Williams."

"Hello." The Doctor waved.

"Hello, sir." He nodded at them, "please to meet you."

"Hey captain," Star winked.

"Ma…Star." he corrected knowing she hated it when people called her ma'am, every time he called her it she always corrected him.

"Captain William," Amy introduced, "best of the best, couldn't live without him."

The Doctor sniggered at the likeness of Amy sketch, Star nudged him playfully.

"What's wrong?" Amy frowned.

He put the sketch down, "Amy…you'll find your Rory, you always do. But you have to really look."

"I am looking."

"Oh, my Amelia Pond. You don't always look hard enough."

"Why are you older? If time isn't really passing, then how can you be aging? Star isn't, so why are you?"

"Time is still passing for me," he pulled his arms around Star, keeping her close, "every explosion has an epicentre. Im it…im what's wrong."

"What's wrong with you?"  
Star closed her eyes in pain, "he's still alive."

~.~

The train entered the Great Pyramid, as Star had said, now Area 52. They quickly got off and Rory met them, and led them down a narrow set of stairs. the Doctor holding the eye patch with distaste.

"You have to put it on, sir." Rory told him.

"An eye patch. What for?" the Doctor asked.

"It's an eye drive," Star explained to him, "it communicates directly with the memory centres of the brain, helps us remember the Silence."

"Because no living thing can remember these things." Amy added leading them into a containment room, inside, chambers full of Silents suspending in fluid.

"The Silents." Rory said, "We've captured over 100 of them now, all held in this Pyramid."  
"Yeah," the Doctor walked over to one, "I've encountered them before. Always wondered what they looked like." The Silent tilted its head at him.

"Whole point of the eye drive," Star told him, "You can remember them when you wear the eye drive."

The Doctor looked at her, "the Silents have human servants. They all wear these."

"They have to." She nodded, _'I don't trust them either, but there is no other way.'_

They walked through the room; the Silents looked at the Doctor.

"They seem to be noticing you." Rory noted.

"Yeah. They would."

"So why aren't the human race killing them on sight any more?" Amy asked.

"Star hasn't told you?" he frowned, "That was a whole other reality. What are the tanks for?"

"They can draw electricity from anything." Rory explained, "Its how they attack. The fluid insulates them. And I don't like the way they're looking at you."

"Me neither."

"Ma'am," Rory turned to Amy, "I'm sure it's nothing, but I should check it out. They haven't been this active in a while." He turned to the soldiers, "you two, upstairs, check all the tank seals. Then the floors above get everyone checking."

"Sir!" they called before leaving.

"You go ahead, ma'am."

"Thank you, Captain Williams." Amy nodded.

"This way." Amy led the way, as Star glanced nervously at the Silents.

"Hold on," Star stopped shortly, "need to check something. Back in a sec." she turned back the way they came as the Doctor smirked knowing what she was doing.

"Captain Williams," Star called to him as he checked the tanks, "the loyal soldier, waiting to be noticed, always the patterns."

"Im sorry?"

"Amy. She likes you. She said so."

"Really. What did she say?"

"Well…"

"What exactly did she say?" he eyed her.

"She said…well, she said that you were the most beautiful, generous and amazing person she had ever seen."

Rory blinked, "she…she said that."

"See ya." She waved as she walked back to the Doctor and Amy who were waiting for her. She winked at the Doctor.

"Come on then." Amy walked off again, "Time for you to meet some old friends."

"Attention, all personal," Rory came on the speaker as they entered the kings chamber of the pyramid. "Attention, all personal. Please check all assigned containment units."

"You were right," one of the doctors, Kent, spoke to none other than River Song, "Just his present in the building caused the loop to extend by nearly 4 chronon." The digital clock she was looking at read 5:02:57. The seconds changing but not the minutes.

"Look who I brought home!" Star called jumping down the last few steps.

"Hey there. Im home." The Doctor smirked.

River turned to them, "And what sort of time do you call this?" she stepped away to reveal Kovarian bound to a chair, Stars doing of course.

"The death of time," Kovarian said, "the end of time. The end of us all. Oh, why couldn't you just die?"

"Did my best, dear," he shrugged walking around the room, "I showed up. You just can't get the psychopaths these days. Love what you've done with the pyramids. How did you swing all this?"

"Hallucinogenic lipstick." River answered, "Works wonders on President Kennedy."

"And Cleopatra was a push over." Star added.

"I always thought so." The Doctor nodded.

"She mentioned you." River continued.

"What did she say?"

"Put down that gun."

"Did you?"  
"Eventually."  
"Do I have to watch this?" Kovarian groaned.  
"It was such a basic mistake, wasn't it, Madame Kovarian?" River called over her shoulder, "take a child, raise her into a perfect psychopath, introduce her to the Doctor. Who else was I going to fall in love with? And Star is too adorable."

"It's not funny, the pair of you." the Doctor pointed at River and Star, "reality is fatally compromised. Tell me you understand that?"

"Dinner?"

"I don't have the time. Nobody had the time, because as long as im alive, time is dying. Because of you, River."

"Because I refused to kill the man I love."

"Oh, you love me do you? Oh, that's sweet of you!" He walked over to her, "Isn't that sweet? C'mere you!"

Star pulled him away from her, "she's not stupid. She know what will happen if you touch her." The Doctor dropped a kiss on her forehead and lunged at River thinking Star was distracted but she cuffed his hands behind his back.

"Why are handcuffs always involved with you, River?" the Doctor groaned. "It's the only way. We're the opposite poles of the disruption. If we touch, we short out the differential, time can begin."

"And I'll be by the lakeside, killing you." River replied.

"And time won't fall apart. Reality will continue. There isn't another way. Star you know this!"

Star looked down at the ground, "I know."

"I didn't say there was, Sweetie." River agreed.

"What that?" Amy called.

They followed her gaze and looked up at the ceiling to see a line of water dripping down.

"The Pyramid above us," the Doctor murmured, "how many Silents do you have trapped inside it?"

"None," Kovarian replied, "they're not trapped, they never have been. They've been waiting for this, Doctor…for you."

Rory burst into the room at that moment, "they're out! All of them."

The soldiers ran to the door, placing a thick plank of wood across it, "no one gets in here!"

"Ma'am," Rory turned to Amy, "my men out there should be able to lock this down we have them outnumbered."

"And you're wearing eye drives based on mine, I think." Kovarian smirked, "Oops!"

"Actually," Star smiled innocently, "I think its you who should be going 'oops'. See, I knew not to trust the eye drives which is why I tinkered around a bit, for every eye drive they activate, it only affects you." she smirked, glaring her red eyes at the woman.

And then Kovarian screamed in agony.

Star took the Doctors hand, as her eyes went back to their usual green "We need to show you something." She led him upstairs with River, Amy and Rory following.

~.~

The Time Lords reached the top of the pyramid, "what's this?" the Doctor saw the large beacon in the middle, "oh, it's a timey-wimey distress beacon. Who built this?"

"Im the chid of the TARDIS," River waved him off, "I understand the physics. Although your daughter was very insistent in helping out."

"Yes, but that's all you've got…a distress beacon!"

"We've been sending out a message," Star explained, "a distress call. Outside the bubble of our time, the universe is still turning, and we've set a message out everywhere, to the future to the past, the beginning and the end. 'The Doctor is dying, please, please help.'"

"Star this is ridiculous. That would be nothing to anyone. This is why you're insane. You embarrass me."

"Yeah, im insane, but there's no one I'd rather be than me."

"And you," he pointed at River, "This was your idea."

Amy and Rory arrived, "We barricaded the door," Amy told them, "we've got a few minutes…just tell him, River."

"Those reports of the sun sport and the solar flares." River remarked, "They're wrong, there aren't any. It's not the sun, it's you, the sky is full of a million, million voices, saying yes, of course we'll help. You've touched so many lives, saved so many people. Did you think, when your time came, you'd really have to do more than just ask? You've decided that the universe is better off without you, but the universe doesn't agree."

"River," the Doctor sighed, "no one can help me. A fixed point has been altered, time is disintegrating."

"I can't let you die."

"But I have to die."

"Shut up! I can't let you die without knowing you are loved by so many, and so much. And by no one more than me."

"And me!" Star called.

"River, we know what this means." The Doctor stressed, "We are ground zero of an explosion that will engulf all reality. Billions on billions will suffer and die."

"I'll suffer if I have to kill you."

"More than every living thing in the universe?!"

"Yes." Both she and Star answered.

"River, River," he shook his head at him, "why do you had have to be this, Melody Pond," he looked at Amy and Rory, "your daughter. I hope you're both proud."

"Im not sure I completely understand…" Rory whispered to Amy.

"We got married, and had a kid, that's her." Amy whispered back.

"Ok."

"Star uncuff me, now." she did so and the Doctor took a deep breath, rubbing his hands, "Ok. I need a strip of cloth, about a foot long. Anything will do. Nevermind," he untied his bowtie. "River, take one end of this, wrap it around your hand and hold it out to me. Star, do the honours."

She grinned and pulled out her dagger from her boot, nicking Rivers hand as she held onto the tie.

"What am I doing?" River frowned but tied the bowtie around her nicked hand, Star nicking the Doctors hand, him doing the same with the tie.

"As you're told."

He smiled, "now, we're in the middle of a combat zone, so we'll have to do the quick version. Captain Williams, say 'I consent and gladly give.'"

"To what?" Rory frowned.

"Oh, just say it." Star nudged him playfully, grinning wildly, knowing exactly what was happening and was so excited.

"I consent and gladly give."

"Need you to say it too." The Doctor nodded at Amy.

"I consent and gladly give." She said quickly, still trusting him even after the God Complex.

"Now, River, im about to whisper something in your ear, and you have to remember it very, very carefully and tell no one what I said." He leaned in a whispered into her ear, her eyes widened at what he just told her, "I just told you my name. Now there you go, River Song. Melody Pond. You're now my…sister. Star's aunt, good luck."

"Which means…" Star cut in, "you need to also know my name." she leaned in and whispered in the woman's ear.

"And sister, I have a request. This world is dying, and it's my fault, and I can't bear it another day. Please, help me. There isn't another way."

River leaned closer to him and whispered, "it would be my honour, brother dear." She hugged him tightly and time resumed.

~.~

And then the Doctor was at the lake, River firing at him, 'killing' him.

~.~

Two hooded figures walked down the seventh transept, the taller one carrying Dorium's box back to its pedestal.

"Who's carrying me?" Dorium demanded, his voice muffed through the box, "I demand to know…im a head, I have rights! I want my doors open this time." The figure gently placed the box down, "I demand that my doors are open." The figure slid the door open and they both walked away, hand in hand. "Is it you? It is, isn't it?" The figures stopped and slowly turned around, "it IS you, I can sense it. But how did you do it? How could you possible have escaped?!"

_The Doctor looked down at Star, "ready?"_

_She squeezed his hand tightly, "nope." They walked out the door._

_Only for Star to drag him back into the room, "Actually…"_

_The Doctor whispered into Rivers ear, "Look into my eye." She looked in his eye to see the Doctor and the TARDIS, the Doctor inside put a finger to his lips, shushing her._

The Doctor and Star dropped their hooded cloaks to the floor; Dorium stared at them, stunned.

"The Teselecta," the Doctor stated, "A Doctor in a Doctor-Suit," they walked back over, "Time said I had to be on that beach so I dressed for the occasion barely got singed in that boat."

"Yup," Star nodded, "and I'm gonna stick to the shadows, not get involve. Make everyone think that I was only a legend, clever eh?"

"So you're going to do this, let them all think you're both dead?"

"well," She shrugged, "dead and never existed."

"Then they can all forget us. Especially me." The Doctor added, "I got too big, Dorium, too noise…time to step back into the shadows."

"And Dr Song?" Dorium asked, "In prison all her days?"

"Her days, yes." Star nodded, "her nights…well," she smirked, "that's family time."

"So many secrets. I'll help you keep them, of course…"

"Well, you're not exactly going anywhere, are you?" the Doctor joked.

"But you're fools nonetheless. It's all still waiting for you…the fields of Trenzalore, the fall of the eleventh. And the question!"

The Doctor mock saluted, "goodbye, Dorium." He turned away and he and Star walked off.

"The first question!" Dorium called after them, "The question that must never be answered, hidden in plain sight. The question you've been running from all your life. Doctor who? Doctor who? Doc…tor…WHO?"


	16. Firstlast night

The Doctor and Star piloted the TARDIS to Stormcage. It was Rivers first night there. The least they could do was go and she how she was settling in. River waltzed in to see a metallic-golden, low cut dress hanging up.  
"The dress is a little daring…" she eyed it.  
"Yup, so I went for this instead." The Doctor gestured to his white tux.  
"And I put this on." Star added, as she came around the console wearing a short dress with black detailing around her bust, with a small black lace detailing just below before flowing out into a purple puffy skirt ending just after her knees paired with glittery green flats.  
"Nice," River smiled as Star hugged her, "Are we going out?"  
"Your parents are asleep." The Doctor said, "How's Stormcage?"  
"I'm on the first night of 12,000 consecutive life sentences, kind of early to say." She smirked at him, "Where are we going?"

"Family outing!" Star cheered.  
"Calderon Beta. Boring planet of the chip shops, but…there is a 400 foot tree growing out of a cliff top on the north side of a mountain in the middle of the sea. And, if you take the lift to the top and look up at exactly 12 minutes past midnight on the 21st of September 2360, you can see more stars in one sky than at any other moment in the history of the Universe. It's like daylight, only magic. You could read a book by it!"  
"Is it ok if I don't?" River countered.  
"We've got 10 minutes, get dressed."

"Thank god that wasn't the perfect sentence." River grimaced.

"Did you bring the diary?" Star asked her.  
She held it up to them, "It's a diary?"  
"It is now," the Doctor nodded, "Because River from now on, there are rules…"  
"Oh you've gone all strict." That was so him, trying to be strict and being a proper older brother.  
"River, to you, Star and I, it's all in the wrong order, we never meet in sequence. "

"And," Star added, "There will be I time when I'm blonde but you can't show that you know I've regenerated."

"You put everything in the diary so we know where we are."  
"Put what in the diary?" River shook her head, "Sweeties I'm in the highest security prison in all of the known universe."  
"If River Song was my aunt, she could walk in and out of that prison like the walls aren't even there." Star grinned.  
"I am your aunt."  
"There we are then. Wardrobes first right, second left, just past the helter-skelter, go find a better dress."  
River ran off.  
There was the sound of gunfire from outside and the Doctor ran to the door when another River fell in. "River!" he gasped.  
"I knew you'd come back here you nostalgic idiot." She panted, "Hold me!" she fainted and the Doctor quickly caught her as Star ran over.  
"River! River! River! River!" he gently lowered her on the ground, "River? Are you ok?" he checked her pulse as Star tried to stifle her giggled, "Talk to me…ok, um…uh…breath, breathe, come on. Gotta keep breathing…"

"Daddy." Star giggled, "She's holding her breath."  
Rivers eyes snapped open, "Spoilt sport," she huffed.  
"Get up!" the Doctor headed to the console as Star helped her up, "What are you doing here? Who's shooting at you?"  
"Oh just a few Sontarans. Chased me halfway across the galaxy."

"Why were they chasing you?" Star asked.

"I asked them if they were on a hen night." she shrugged.

"And were they?"

"Never got an answer they chased me after that."  
"River you can't do things like that!" the Doctor chastised, pointing a finger at her.  
River rolled her eyes, "Or what?" she countered, "You've already had me banged up in jail for 5 years, what else are you gonna do? Tell my mum and dad?"  
"Now…" the Doctor began but River cut him off.  
"Have you brought someone else here?" she demanded, spotting the dress, "Does anyone agree to wear that dress? Where is she?"  
"River think it through…"  
She stormed off, "This happened the last time we were here. You brought someone else!"  
"No we didn't!"  
"Yes you did! I heard you talking to her!"  
"It's the same night!" the Doctor told her as Star shouted, "We were talking to each other!"  
The first River re-entered, "Were you talking to someone?"  
"Just Star." the Doctor waved her off and she left again.  
"Were you talking to someone?!" the second River demanded.  
"Just to each other," Star assured her.  
Another River entered the TARDIS, this one wearing the metallic dress, "You just can't keep away can you…" she spotted the dress hanging up, "Doctor? Star? Why have you brought another one of these? Who else is here?"

Star opened her mouth to answer but the Doctor put a hand over it.  
"River could you just check the light on top?" the Doctor asked instead of answering her question, "I think the bulb needs changing."  
"The bulb?" she raised her eyebrows but left.

"Arg!" the Doctor grimaced as he moved his hand away from Star mouth to see she had licked it, he wiped it on his tux.

"Who are you talking to?!" the second River entered, hands on her hips.  
"You." Star blinked, "We've only been talking to you."

"Back to Stormcage Dr. Song." The Doctor soniced her Vortex Manipulator.  
"Oh…at least give me a lift." She moaned, "You know what this thing does to my hair!"  
"It's always like that." Star remarked as River disappeared.  
The third River entered, "The light's fine, I don't know what you're talking about…"  
A second Doctor ran in, "No River! Wrong TARDIS, Star parked around back…" he spotted the younger them, "younger versions."  
"Two of you!" River gaped, "The mind races, does it not?"  
"Come on, we'll be late." The older Doctor told her.  
"They're taking me to the Singing Towers of Darillium!" River smiled, walking off, "They've been promising for ages!" she left.  
"The first time we met her at the Library, when she…"  
"Died, yes." The other Doctor nodded.  
"She said the last time she saw us was at Darillium…is that now?"  
"…spoilers. Good luck tonight."  
"You too."  
"Yeah." The second Doctor sighed and he left.  
"Oh!" the first River entered just seeing the older him leave, "There's two of you! The mind races!"  
"Well, come on you, let's go and see the stars!" the Doctor grinned.  
"But I haven't changed!"  
"And you never will River, never ever."  
"What was the other you doing here?"  
"Spoilers." Star said.  
"I like that word." River smirked.  
"I thought you might."  
"Oh, Doctor, Star, you and your secrets, you'll be the death of me."

Star walked over to the other side of the console as the Doctor looked at her, solemn. Star had never been so thankful that she wouldn't be there in the library to see her die.


	17. The Time Lords, the Widow, the Wardrobe

Star laughed as she sat in the TARDIS, the Doctor walking in wearing spacesuit, the helmet on backwards.

"Why is your helmet on backwards?" She asked him, "No…why are you even wearing it?"

"Just something I threw on." He waved her off.

"Sneaking out without me," she crossed her arms even though he couldn't see her.

"Um…"

She removed his helmet and he took a large gulp of air, "I bet you had fun, didn't you?" she pouted.

"No!" he defended, "absolutely not! It was no fun at all! Got a distress call went to check it out, you were sleeping. Got in a bit of trouble."

"Do you need a hug?" she didn't wait for an answer as she pulled him into a hug.

~.~

"Dad!" Star shouted through the halls of a large lovely manor, "Get the door!"

"I think it's the Arwells!" he called from another room.

"Mr Cardew!" a woman knocked on the door.

Star watched from the top of the stairs as he tried to open the door.

"Father!" two children called from outside.

"Sorry! It's the door," he grunted trying to open it, "it's developed a fault."

"Hello?" he recognised the voice as Marge Arwell, the woman who helped him when his helmet got stuck on backwards, "Mr Cardew?"

She let out a laugh as the door fell inwards and it echoed around the house.

"There we go," the Doctor grinned at the family, "Well, come in, in you come." he stepped aside to let the family in and they slowly walking into the front hall. "Mind your step. Now, don't worry, the back door is still, broadly speaking, operational." He pushed the door back into place, hoping that Star hadn't heard it, "right then, may I take your cases?"

"Thank you," Madge smiled and she and her children set the cases on the floor.

"Lovely. Would you mind carrying them for me? I need to show you around. But not until Star arrives."

"Right here." She called, walking down the stairs, "Hello." She waved.

"No, wait!" Madge called "who are you?"

"Im the caretaker." He turned to them, "And this is my daughter." he wrapped his arms around her as she beamed.

"But you're not Mr Cardew."

"I agree."

"But I don't understand. Are you the new caretaker?"

The Doctor walked back down the stairs with Star, "Usually called the Doctor. Or the Caretaker. Or Get Off This Planet."

"But that's one isn't really a name," Star pointed out, "They more just say it to you."

"Right. Yes. Hello Madge Arwell." he shook her hand.

"Hello." she smiled politely.

"And Cyril Arwell. And Lily Arwell." he shook their hands, "Now, come on, come on, lots to see. Whistle-stop tour. Take notes, there will be questions."

The Doctor pushed open a set of flourished double doors, "Smaller sitting room. Just chairs. Bit pointless without a television."

"So I made some repairs," Star flicked a switch on the wall and the chair began moving on their own, she turned around to see the children looking on in amazement, "I know!"

~.~

"Kitchen! The Doctor announced as they entered the room, "That's a cooker, probably." he pointed at it, "And these are taps. Hot, cold...lemonade."

"Lemonade?" Cyril asked.

"I know!" he winked at Star. She had requested it and he just couldn't say no, and it was a good idea.

The Doctor put a foot on the staircase in the front hall, stumbling a bit as he expected it to move, "Staircase," he mumbled, "we'll have to walk up".

"Or we could run up!" Star called, running up, past him.

He laughed and ran up after her, leaving the humans to walk up after them.

On the second floor landing the Doctor pointed up to an open doorway with steps leading up in the corner of the hall. "We sleep up there. Stay away. Beware of

Panthers."

"Panthers?" Madge gasped, unsure if he was being truthful or not, but given what he had shown them downstairs, she wouldn't put it past him, and the girl was about as bad as him.

"They're terrifying. Have to ever seen panthers?"

"Cyril!" Star called as they walked off, the boy trying to peek up to see if there were any Panthers.

The Doctor open the door of a lovely room, decorated with blues and gold and brown. A fireplace in the far wall. "Mums room! Grown up." he pouted, "Your basic boring..." he closed the door as walked off.

~.~

He opened another bedroom door, "Lily and Cyril's room!" he cheered, "I'm going to be honest...masterpiece." they stepped inside for a better look. The room was filled with toys and games suitable for both children. Although there was no beds, "The ultimate bedroom. A sciencey-wiencey workbench. A jungle! A maze! A window disguised as a mirror. A mirror disguised as a window! Torches for midnight feasts and secret reading. Zen garden, mysterious cupboard, zone of tranquillity, runner wall, dream tank, exact model of the rest of the house...not QUITE to scale, apologies...dolls with comical expressions, the Magna Carta, a foot spa, Cleudo, a yellow fort. And I never could have done it without my amazing girl, could I?" he put his arm over her shoulders.

It was the father/daughter project in the house. With their childlike nature they really had made a truly outstanding room suitable for the children. All the other rooms, they work separately on, the rooms were a surprise to each other unless they requested something, like the lemonade tap. While the Doctor had been trying to turn the stairs into escalators, Star had been designing Madge's room. She had cheated a little, having no clue what kind of room the woman would like, for having never met her before, so she'd got into the TARDIS and peeked into the room the old girl had set up for River was it ever needed. She just changed the colours a bit.

"Where are the beds?" Cyril asked.

"We couldn't fit everything in. There had to be sacrifices. Anyway, who needs bed when you've got…" he nodded at Star who pulled a lever on the wall near the door, "Hammocks!" two hammocks fell from the ceiling, "I know!" he whispered.

Cyril tried, and failed to get on the first hammock, he was too short to be able to get on, "But how do you get on?"

"Watch and learn, kid." He winked, ushering him out of the way. Cyril moved to the side and the Doctor ran and leapt, aiming for the first hammock but landed with a thump on the ground between the two.

"For god sake!" Madge cried, exasperate.

The Doctor popped up, "this hammock has developed a fault!"

"No it hasn't." Star shook her head, before running, he ducked as she jumped over him and landed on the back hammock.

"Show off."

"Its genetic."

"Can you please stop talking?" Madge snapped, "can you please just stop?"

Star got off the hammock, "Sorry."

She took a breath, "Children, go downstairs."

"Why?" Lily frowned, "are we leaving?"

"Yes! No! I don't know. Just, please go downstairs!"  
"You don't need to shout." She muttered as she and her brother left the room.

"Why are you doing all this?" Madge looked at the Time Lords as the Doctor helped Star get off the hammock and pulled her close.

"We're just…trying to take care of things." The Doctor said, quietly.

"That's not what caretakers do."

"Then why are they called caretakers?"

Madge sighed, "Their father's dead."

The Doctor swallowed hard, feeling Star snuggle closer to him, "im sorry."

"Lily and Cyril's father…my husband…is dead, and they don't know yet. Because if I tell them now, then Christmas will always be what took their father away from them, and no one should have to live like that. Of course, when the Christmas period is over, I shall…I don't know why I keep shouting at them."

"Because every time you see them happy, you remember how sad they're going to be, and it breaks your heart." The Doctor understood.

"Mother, come and see!" Lily called from downstairs.

"Mother, you've got to see this." Cyril shouted, "Come on!"

"Because what's the point in them being happy now if they're going to be sad later?" the Doctor continued.

"Mother!" Lily yelled.

"Mother? Are you coming?" Cyril asked.

"The answer is, of course…because they are going to be sad later." The Doctor finished, "Now, we'd better get downstairs. I think they may have found the main sitting room."

"Mother!"

"We repaired it." Star whispered.

Madge eyed them a moment longer before walking out of the room. The Time Lords following, Star giving the Doctors hand a squeeze as he closed the door behind them. They walked down the stairs and into the main sitting room where there was a large tree in the centre with model trains and planes circling it. Ribbons draped from the ceiling. The children looked back as they entered, pulling their gaze away from the large blue present.

"I know!" the Doctor smiled at them.

"Look at that present!" Cyril ran over to it, looking at the tag, "it's for me!"

Lily read the tag, "It says it for all of us."

"Im the youngest, I get to open it first!"

"Doesn't say who it's from," Lily mused.

The Time Lord snuck off, leaving the small family alone. They had a panther to deal with…

~.~

The Time Lord sat at a small desk in the attic working on some wiring. Star sat opposite, whining about having to take the panther home, she wanted to keep them but wasn't allowed.

They looked up as the door creaked and Lily entered, "you were lying about the panthers."

"We had to take them home," Star pouted.

"Why have you got a phone box in your room?"

"It's not a phone box," the Doctor said quickly, "it's our…wardrobe. It's just painted to look like a phone box."

"What are you doing?"

"Rewiring."

"Why would you rewire a wardrobe?"

"Have you seen the way we dress?" Star joked.

"Who are you?" Lily eyed them, "REALLY, who are you?"

A light blinked, concerning both Time Lords, "where's your brother?"

"Sleeping," Lily shrugged.

"Come on." Star stood, "let's got check."

She and Lily headed back to their bedroom and peered in to see a lump on Cyril's hammock under the blanket. Star laughed to herself, the oldest trick in the book. He was good.

Star nodded, "Ok. You go back upstairs. I just need to get myself a glass of lemonade." She watched Lily go back up to the attic as she hurried downstairs to the main sitting room to see the present had been open and Cyril jumping back out of the box. She rushed over to him before he could go back in, "Cyril!"

He gasped at being caught out, "Star! You frightened me."

"Well, you shouldn't be opening presents early."

"I was…I just…"

Star just laughed as he tried to cover himself up, "Come on, lets go back in." she ushered him in first and followed him. On the ground was a bauble from one of the trees cracked open.

"Ooh." Star crouched down to it, "Did you do this?" she looked up at Cyril.

"I touched one of the baubles," he admitted, "And it started to grow. I dropped it and ran away…"

"And now whatever it is it's walking into the forest." She nodded at the footprints.

"Where are we?" He looked around.

"Well it's not Narnia." She stated.

"Narnia?"

"Ignore me."

"So where exactly are we?"

"A forest." She said simply, "A forest in a box. A forest in a box in a sitting room. A forest in a box in a sitting room in a manor house. A forest in a box in a sitting room in a manor house on Earth. A forest in a box in a sitting room in a manor house on Earth in the solar system," She blinked, "Im rambling aren't I?" he gave a small nod, "Well come on," she took the boys hand, "Lets follow it."

"Wait!" he let go off her hand, "we need a torch." He dashed off to get it, and took her hand again.

~.~

Star frowned as the footprints they followed gradually got bigger. She glanced at Cyril to see the boy chatting about the different trees he could recognise through the snow that covered them. So this was the gift the Doctor had given the family, a trip through a wonderland. In all honestly, he should have know someone would open the present early, she always did.

The boy was enjoying himself too much not to notice the footprints, and it seemed he didn't even feel the cold surrounding them. She was a Time Lady so naturally the cold never bothered her anyway. She had stopped to build a snowman with her bare hands after all. She wasn't going to miss this chance to build an Olaf.

She stopped as they came across a large stone tower in the middle of the forest.

"Do we go in?" Cyril asked, excitement in his voice

Star tilted her head at the tower. She could be the mature, responsible person people expect of her, and turn back and go back to the manor OR she could be the adventurous, looking for trouble girl daddy's girl she has always had been. Daddy's girl wins. "Yes!"

And they walked to the tower, though more cautiously than they had been. She gently pushed the door open. Cyril shone the torch around and gasped as he spotted a wooden statue of a man sitting on a wooden throne, a wooden crown on his head.

"Is that the king?" Cyril wondered, stepping back towards Star.

"King of the forest," She shrugged, "Maybe."  
"What's up there?" Cyril looked up the winding staircase leading to the top.

"Lets find out." She grinned and they walked up the stairs.

~.~

They reached the top, but Star began frowning, this tower, it wasn't made of stone, it was made of wood, the stairs looked like they had been grown out of the walls. Looking around the room, in the centre was another statue, but this one was a female, the queen, standing behind another throne, a circle tin her hands, like it was waiting to place it on the head of who ever sat on the throne.

Cyril looked out of one of the windows, "it's amazing," he breathed.

Star smiled and walked over to him, looking out also, "isn't it? This is Androzana Major, their forests."

They looked over hearing the Doctor shouting from the stairs. But both gasped seeing the statue behind them, holding out the circlet.

"Dad!" Star yelled, pulling Cyril behind her.

But the queen, seemed to want Cyril, sending her to the wall, knocking her unconscious. The last thing she heard was the Doctor calling for her and Cyril before her world went black…

~.~

"Star!" Star winced as she heard the Doctor shout "Star, wake up!" and then he shook her, _"Nova, wake up!"_

She let out a small groan, not wanting to wake up, knowing that if she did wake up, she's get a headache, she always did, it was normal with her mind. But hearing the fear and worry in the Doctor voice, she woke up.

She blinked to see the Doctor scanning her with the sonic, staring wide eyed in fear. She swiped the sonic away with her hand, "I'm ok..." she breathed.

He let out a breath of relief, seeing her awake. She'd given him a hearts attack! He and Lily and followed her and Cyril into the forest and burst into the room hearing her screaming for him...to find her on the ground unconscious, Cyril on the throne, also unconscious. He checked on the boy of course, but he was more worried about her, she was his daughter! Of course he'd be more worried about her. But she didn't wake up at first, if it hadn't been for her breathing he thought she had died.

"Are you ok?" he asked her, deeply concerned.

She nodded slowly, "Fine."

"Come on. Up you get..." he helped her stand up, only for her to stumble into him.

"Cyril." she stiffened, and looked over to see him unconscious, Lily kneeling in front of him.

The king statue entered the room and walked over to join the queen at the throne.

"What are they doing?" Lily gasped, "Stop him!"

The Doctor lifted the sonic, but Star lowered it, "It doesn't do wood," she reminded him, eying the statues as they just...stood there, at the throne, "I think they want to talk."

The statues looked at Cyril and the circlet on his head lit up, "They're scared," Cyril said quietly as he woke, "Can't you hear me? The trees are screaming. Can't you hear?"

"No." the Doctor scanners the circlet, "But you can. You're connected to them."

"Why have the stars left the trees?" Lily wondered.

"I think they're..." Cyril began, trying to find the right word, "Evacuating. They're evacuating."

"Why are they evacuating?" Star asked.

"They're...frightened of the rain. The rain that burns."

"Caretaker, please explain." Lily turned to them, "I'm frightened."

"Those stars," the Doctor looked out the window, "they're pure life force. Souls, if you like. And they're trying to escape because they think their home is going to burn."

"Why can't they just float up into the sky?"

"They need to travel inside a living thing, inside Cyril. You see, this…" he scanned the circlet, "It's not a crown, it's a relay. They're turning your brother into a lifeboat!" he put the sonic away, "that's what this place is for, then. It's an escape plan, is that it?" the queen leaned forwards and wrapped her hand gently around Cyril's neck, "Don't you harm him. Do not touch that child!"

"Your coming was foretold." Cyril's voice deepened as the statue spoke through him.

"My god," Lily breathed, "what is that? Why does he sound like that?"

"Ooh. Lip-synching. Are we doing that now?" Star eyed the queen.

"We had faith." The queen spoke through Cyril, "Your coming was foretold."

"There's no such things as foretelling." She scoffed.

"Trust us, we're time travellers." The Doctor nodded.

"We waited and you came." It stated.

"So, you've got an escape plan. Why aren't you escaping?"  
"The child is weak."

"You mean he's a child."

"No, he is weak. The forest cannot live in him. But there are others."

"There certainly are," the Doctor agreed, "And the good thing is, I look great in a hat. So, let's get this thing off, eh?" he reached fro the circlet.

"You are also weak."

"Im really not. Let's save a forest, Cyril"

"You are not the one. You are weak."

"Im really not." The Doctor insisted, grabbing the circlet of Cyril's head, it shone brightly in his hands and struggled against it, screaming and gasping in agony.

"Daddy!" Star cried, rushing over and taking it from him, expecting pain, "Oh. It tickles," she giggled.

Lily cautiously touched it, "it's tingly." She smiled taking it from Star.

"Tingly?!" the Doctor stared at her, panting.

The queen reached out and spoke through Lily, "she is strong, but she is young."

Lily pulled away with a gasp and dropped the circlet.

"She's strong. Im weak. Interesting." The Doctor mused.

"Mummy?" Cyril called, coming out of his haze.

Lily went over to her brother, "Cyril, it's all right. It's me. Mummy isn't here, but we're going home to her right now. Aren't we, Caretaker?"

"No." Star said, looking out the window at the rain, "I don't think we are."

"The rain that burns." The Doctor went to her side, "Acid rain."

"We need to get out of here fast. The tower won't protect us for long."

"Where's mummy?" Cyril asked.

"She's coming," Lily assured him. "You know she's coming because…because she always comes, doesn't she?"

"Cyril," the Doctor knelt before him, "the way we came here, that door won't stay open for ever. Now, im not even sure if we can get us through the forest safely, but if we're going to have any chance at all, we have to go now."

Cyril crossed his arms, "No. we wait for mummy. Mummy always comes."

"Not this time, Cyril," Stat shook her head sadly, "im sorry, but not this time." It was hard to admit, because…because mummy always comes, but hers didn't, and know theirs wouldn't either.

There was a loud thudding and the ground shook. Through the window they saw a large machine with three mechanical legs appear above the treetop, heading their way.

"What that?" Lily frowned.

"That's a…Androzani Harvester!" Stars eye widened. "How…?"

"More to the point," the Doctor started to laugh, "I think I recognise the driving! Madge has entered the forest! Come on, Madge, you can do it! You go, girl!"

"Shut up, you ridiculous oaf!" Madge called over the speaker.

"Come on. This way…you can do it, you can do it! Excellent driving! Hello!"  
"Caretaker?"

"Yes!" the Doctor grinned.

"You're fired!"

"Oh…" he grin fell as did the harvester.

"Don't worry, she's fine." Star assured the children.

"Stay here." The Doctor instructed, "Star look after them." He ran down the stairs to greet Madge.

~.~

Marge ran up the stairs and straight to her children and hugged them tightly. "Lily! What are you doing? How dare you leave the house? Cyril, what have I told you about opening your presents early?"

"Sorry, mummy." He hung his head.

"Something like this was bound to happen."

With a gasp, Lily pulled Cyril away as the queen approached Madge from behind.

"What are those?" Madge eyed them.

"Stay away from it." Lily warned, "You have to stay back."

But Madge was mesmerized by the glow of the circlet, "That's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Mummy?" Cyril cried as the queen moved to place the circlet on the woman's head.

"She how it shines…" Madge breathed as the queen placed it on her head and she sat on the throne.

The Doctor arrived as the stars were absorbed into Madge's head.

"The stars are going inside her head." Lily said as she and Cyril moved besides Star, "She's taking the whole forest!"

"Oh, this is marvellous." Madge smiled, "Oh, this is really quite wonderful."

"Madge?" Star eyed her as she absorbed all the stars, "are you ok? Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can hear you. Im perfectly fine, thank you."

"Fine?" the Doctor gaped, "you've got a whole world inside your head!"

"I know. Its funny, isn't it? One can't imagine being a forest, then suddenly one can. How remarkable!"

"You're ok? She's ok?"

The queen placed a hand on Madge's should, "she is strong."

Madge gasped as the queen let go, "that wasn't me. This is all rather clever, isn't it?"

"She's strong? She's strong?" his eyes widened as she realised, "stupid me! Stupid old Doctor! Do you get it, Cyril?"

"No." the boy shook his head.

"Lily, you do, don't you?"

"No." she mimicked her brother.

"Star, you do, don't you?"

She frowned a moment, thinking it over, and then she realised, "Oh! The MOTHER ship!"

"Translated from the base code of nature itself."

Suddenly the room shook and the small dome they were in disengaged from the tower and they were flown into the sky.

"What's happening?" Lily cried.

"No idea," the Doctor grabbed Stars waist as she stumbled, "Do what I do, hold right and pretend it's a plan." he moved to the window with Star as Lily and Cyril held onto the throne.

"This is...amazing!" Star giggled.

"Where are we?" Cyril asked.

"Technically, we're not anywhere," the Doctor explained, "We've flown into the time vortex," he looked at the queen, "You've got what you wanted...those idiots down there can burn your old home and you'll be safe out here. But these people helped you and they are in our protection. Now help them. How do we get them home."

"Think." the queen stated.

"Sorry, what?"

"She must think."

"Think," Star blinked, "Madge, did you hear that? You have to think. Think of home. Just picture home."

"Feel it!" the Doctor added, "You have to really feel it. Can you do that? You mind of controlling this vessel. You can fly us all back for Christmas!"

"My head if full of trees, Caretaker," Madge said, "Cant you fly us home? Or Star?"

"Our home is different to your home," Star told her.

"And you really need to feel it, Madge," the Doctor remarked, "Everything about home you miss, till you can't beat it, till you almost burst."

"Till it hurts?" Madge asked, "Is that what you mean, Caretaker? Till it hurts?"

"Yes," Star nodded sadly, "Exactly that."

Madge reached into her pocket and pulled out the telegram, and gripped it tightly, "Well, then...home in time for Christmas!" she moaned as she flew them through the vortex.

"What's happening?" Lily shouted, "Where are we going?"

"Show them!" the Doctor demanded of the statues, "Show them!" the queen raised her hand and they could see clearly outside the windows, "Ha! The time vortex. Your mother is flying a forest through the time forest. Be a little impressed!"

"Madge!" Star called, "Focus! Focus on home. What are you going home for? What's pulling you there? What's pulling you there? Think. Please, focus."

A memory of Mr Arwell appeared before holding one of the children as a baby. They could tell it was him even if the children didn't cry out for him.

"That's it," the Doctor nodded, encouragingly, "Focus on Reg. Be careful, but focus on him."

"Tell us how you met," Star said.

"He followed me home," Madge smiled and the image changed to the memory, "I worked in the dairy, he always used to follow me home. He said he'd keep following me till I married him! Didn't like to make a scene!"

"Focus. Think of home."

"This thing," the Doctor pulled out the sonic, "it works psychically...it's find a signal and lock on." he soniced and the image changed to Reg on his plane in dark clouds, "No!" she cried, tearful, "No, please, don't show me that! Please, don't show me that!"

"We are so sorry!" Star whispered to the woman.

"Not the night he died! I don't want to see go die!" she closed her eyes tightly hearing her children cry out, asking what she was talking about, when the image she was steady played out, his plane began to fall, "Goodbye, my love.," Madge sobbed, "Goodbye!"

Star clutched the Doctor tightly, for support and in sadness of what that had made happen, when a bright light filled the room...

~.~

Star jumped up from where she laid on the floor, the Doctor doing the same, both checking on the Arwells.

"Cyril! Lily!" Star called, rushing over, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Lily slowly sat up.

The Doctor scanned the queen as she lied on the floor.

"Are they dead?" Madge asked as she sat up.

"No." he answered, "They're just wood now. They've been. Emptied. The forest has gone from your head too, hasn't it?"

"But, where is it now?"

"In simple terms," Star began, "the souls of the trees are out among the stars, and they're shining and very happy. All thanks to you. Well done!"

"And where are we?"  
"Home!" she cheered, "Christmas morning!"

The Doctor wiped the window showing the house, "we've taken a bit of a short cut. Haven't you always wanted to do that?"

"Mother?" Lily called.

Madge looked at her children and opened her arms, "Look at you. You've been so brave." The children backed away from her, "You…look we're home again, see?"

"What did you mean, watch him die? Where's father? Where is he? Where's daddy? Why are you holding a telegram? Well, what does it say?"

"Please, just tell us?" Cyril pleaded.

"Tell us!"

"I imagine you'd prefer to be alone."

Madge looked at them both, seeing them standing so close to each other, "I don't believe anyone would prefer that. Stay close."

"We'll be right outside." Star promised as they went outside.

They stopped short and Star quickly ran back inside "Madge!" she yelled, barging into the room, "Madge! You need to come outside." She grinned, "NOW!"

"Im talking to my children!" Madge looked up at her.

"I know but really. Outside. Now!" she fidgeted with excitement and ran back outside. This time Madge, Lily and Cyril following.

Both Time Lords straightened their bowties, "No stars to light the way, Madge?" the Doctor smiled, "There was one."

"There was you!" Star grinned.

"Madge Arwell, who flew a whole forest through the time vortex…plus one husband!"

On the field in front of them was Reg's plane, a puzzled Reg standing in front of it.

"He did it again, Madge. He followed you home. Look what you can do! Mother Christmas!"

"Madge!" Reg spotted them, "What am I doing here?"

"It's Christmas day, my love!" Madge laughed, "Where else would you be?"

"Christmas day? How?"

"We took a short cut."

"Daddy!" the children cried as the family ran to each other and hugged.

"Happy crying." The Doctor remarked.

"Humany-wumany." Star finished as she leaned into his chest.

~.~

Star looked up as she heard the Doctor enter the console room, he'd just nipped out to find Madge and tell her they were going, that they wished them a Merry Christmas, that was too quick, "That was quick."

"She was already in the attic," he shrugged, "and I think she threatened us to go and see the Ponds and let them know we're ok. But…first." He pulled out a small TARDIS blue box with a yellow bow on top, "you're present."

She blinked, "But…but I didn't get you anything!" she was a horrible daughter, why didn't she think about this! It was Christmas! Yes, it'd been 200 years since they had actually celebrated the holiday, but still, he spent the time to get her a gift and she got him…nothing.

"Nova," he cupped her face in his hands and locked into her eyes, "you are the best gift ever."

"So, you don't want any presents in the future?" she grinned cheekily.

"Open your present."

She grinned and teared the paper off, peeking inside to see a yellow bowtie inside. Upon closer inspection she found that it was a hair bow. She excitedly put it in her hair, leaving half pinned up and the rest flowing loose.

"Beautiful." He kissed her forehead.

~.~

The Doctor knocked on the TARDIS blue door of the Pond's house.

"If that's more carol singers," the heard Amy groan on the other side, "I have a water pistol!" he knocked again, "you don't want to be all wet," she opened the door holding a water pistol, "…on a night like this."

"Not absolutely sure…how long…" the Doctor eyed her expression.

"Two years." She squirted him in the face.

He wiped his face, "Ok. Fair point."

"So…you're not dead."

"And a Happy New Year!" Star threw her arms out, trying to lighten the mood.

"River told us."  
"Well, of course she did." The Doctor huffed. Of course she would have told her parents that they were ok.

"She's a good girl. Well? Im not going to hug first." She looked away from him.

"Nor am I." he looked away.

"I will!" Star grinned and hugged Amy who laughed and hugged her back before she hugged the Doctor.

"Mr Pond!" Amy called back into the house, "Guess who's coming for dinner!"

Rory appeared at the doorway, "Whoa! Not dead, then."

"We've done that," she told her husband before turning back to the Time Lords, "We're about to have Christmas diner. Joining us?"

"If it's no trouble." The Doctor said.

"There's a place set for you both."

"How did you know we were coming?" Star tilted her head.

"Because we always do," Amy rolled her eyes, "it's Christmas, you morons." She headed into the house.

Rory nodded, "come on." He followed Amy.

Star smiled softly seeing a single tear that had fallen from the Doctor's eye, "Happy crying." She wiped it away, "Come on, then." She pulled him into the house laughed and closed the door behind them.

**To be continued next in 'Written in the stars.'**


End file.
